What Are You Looking At?

When I go to the beach, I like to take a pair of binoculars with me. The binoculars enhance how far out into the ocean I can see. My vacation feels more complete if I can see at least one dolphin swimming in the ocean. It is so neat to see the dolphins living in their natural habitat through my binoculars. Even though I am focused on dolphins, pelicans and seagulls can distract me from what I am really looking for.

Life is full of distractions. Kids, work, running errands, cleaning the house, etc. A health issue of our own or illness of someone we care about can be devastating. Financial problems can tear marriages apart. So many things bombard us on a daily basis.

So, what are you looking at? Do you only see the stress and discouragement of your situation? Do you see disappointment and failure? Do you see hopelessness and defeat?

I'm guilty of all of the above. It's so easy to be caught up in the moment and only focus on the situation that you see all around you. When you are faced with the same challenges day after day after day, it is a struggle to see any hope for the future.

The only way out of this vicious cycle is to look past your circumstances into what God promised about your circumstances. He promised that He would make a way of escape so that you could bear your trials (I Corinthians 10:13). He promised that He would never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He promised to be an ever present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). There are many, many promises in the Bible that we can take courage in.

The Bible tells of Jesus walking on the water to the ship where the disciples were. Peter asked the Lord to let him walk on the water too. Jesus told Peter to come. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water too! He walked just fine, until he looked at the circumstances around him; then, Peter started to sink and called out to Jesus for help. Jesus, being ever merciful, reached out and saved Peter.

I think we have all been like Peter at some point in our lives. We are Christians and we say that we trust God. However, when the storms of life come, we do not always keep our eyes fully on Christ. It's so easy to look at the situation and to sink into the ocean of fear and despair.

It is in the most difficult hours of our lives that we need to focus on God's promises the most. After all, God cannot lie. All of His promises are true. We can rest in every promise that is in the Bible. We just need to keep the word constantly before us. Singing about God's promises or reading them in the Bible can help to focus our attention on the Savior instead of on the storm.

Look to God's promises, child of God!