“It is during the darkest moments of our life that we must shift our focus to clearly see the light.”
I thought of this one day as my daughter shared an insightful truth.
My daughter deals with anxiety sometimes, particularly when driving over long bridges above deep waters. She has prayed and is finding ways to overcome it with God’s help.
One day, not too long ago, as we headed out of town, we came to a bridge that had caused her anxiety in the past. She drove over it without saying a word or even slowing down. When we arrived on the other side, she said, “Thirty-five seconds.”
I looked at her as she responded, “It takes thirty-five seconds to get across that bridge.”
She went on to explain that if she shifts her focus and concentrates on something else, the bridge does not cause her anxiety.
Aha. This, you see, is a biblical truth. And an insightful perception.
Isaiah 26:3 says, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
To experience God’s peace, we must redirect our focus toward God and His Word. Rather than dwelling on negativity, scarcity, or offenses against others, we need to focus exclusively on God and His Word to attain and sustain His peace.
In life, many distractions vie for our attention. Sickness and lack can demand our focus, as can our jobs or ministry. However, amidst these competing demands, one unchanging truth stands out: when we keep our minds fixed on God, He promises to keep us in perfect peace.
Philippians 4:6 is another scripture that discusses where our focus should be. It says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with anxiety about something, choose not to be anxious. Instead, take time to pray about your situation. After you finish praying, thank God for hearing and answering your prayer. Then, thank Him for all He has done for you. Practice being thankful! As you do this, you will notice that your mind returns to focus on God and His Word. When your mind is centered on God, you will experience a flood of peace in your mind and heart.
When our heart is at peace, we can hear God’s voice. If we remain anxious, we are unable to hear God clearly. Oh! But when peace floods our souls, we can hear God’s voice. When we hear His voice, He will tell us what to do. For this reason alone, it is vital we keep our eyes and thoughts on God.
Romans 4:19-21 says, And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Abraham refused to get his focus on his age or Sarah’s womb. He kept his focus on one thing. He focused only on what God had said. He only looked to the promises of God. He was fully persuaded that God would do what He said He would do. He refused to give his attention to anything else.
We must do this in every situation that does not agree with God’s Word. We must refuse to focus our attention on the problem and keep our focus entirely on God and His unfailing Word.
It may mean spending more time in the Word of God or more time in prayer. Whatever it takes, please do it. It will be time well spent.
Even amidst the world’s chaos, God promises unwavering peace when you fix your eyes on Him. If your attention is drawn elsewhere today, it’s a sign to shift your focus back to Him and His divine promises for you and your family.
