Scripture:
“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT
Observation:
There are times when I have let troubles be the focus of my day. This has only led to a downward spiral of worry and doubt. Paul is telling us to direct our eyes on things that cannot be seen. Meaning the things that we face today, will be small to almost insignificant in comparison to eternity.
We are called to not let the troubles of this life render us ineffective. However, at least for me, I know I have let worries overpower me to the point that I feel like I am useless in the Kingdom of God. Yet, even so, the Holy Spirit resides in me and commands me to look up to Jesus and not down to the trouble before me.
Application:
Choose faith in the face of troubles. We will naturally gravitate toward what we look at. So as the Scripture states, we need to focus our gaze on things that cannot be seen. Though we cannot see Jesus, we can read His Word and hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us in those Words. The Bible is not just a book of rules and wise sayings. It is the Living Word of God. It is His voice that resonates with our very hearts and soul. When faced with troubles, I need to choose faith.
Additionally, worship and prayer are necessary to take our eyes off of our trouble. This is not to say troubles are not important and we should disregard them, but they should not be what will control our lives. If we worship and pray to God, we are able to put the trouble we face into perspective. That perspective is, “Does this have eternal value?” The unseen things have eternal value, so I need to keep my gaze on them.
Prayer:
Dear God Almighty, I come before you in the name of Jesus Christ. Praise and glory to You! Please forgive me for the times my gaze has been on the problems of this world. Thank you for reminding me today that the things of this world will pass away and the unseen things will remain. Help me to not be so focused on problems that it renders me useless in your Kingdom. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that guides your saints! Thank you for speaking through your Word. Most importantly, thank you for Jesus that has paid the price for us that we are made righteous and holy before you. Thank you so much, Jesus. I lay all my troubles before you, knowing you are the source of hope. I love you and ask of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen!
