27
Oct '18
Shift Your Focus
27
Oct '18
A friend recently shared a post on social media that said “Worship gets you through the hardest times in your life because it shifts your focus from the problem to the Problem Solver”. This post showed up right after a different friend was inquiring about what I’ve been doing since some struggles in my life. I proceeded to tell him that after these struggles came along, I got myself very busy with Godly people doing Godly things. He then said he felt he may have isolated himself in the same situation. I’ll admit, I may have wanted to isolate myself, but God surely didn’t give me that option. God began moving in my life immediately and didn’t give me much of a chance at all to sulk or have pity party with myself (i.e. “poor me!”).
Nope, God grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me a few times, told me to take a few days to get things out of my system, and then we’re going to be on to the next thing. God knew exactly what needed to happen with me, so I didn’t question Him. I got involved more in church, started hitting the gym more, and started surrounding myself more with Godly people.
Of course, going through any struggle in life isn’t easy. You hit roller-coaster highs where you’re doing great, and then you crash into a low that you didn’t see coming and wonder where it came from and why. But, God allows all of these things to happen to His children to strengthen us. If we were just smooth sailing all the time in life, what are the odds that we’d keep our eyes on God all the time?? I think to answer that as “all the time!” would be pretty slim, because any time life is smooth sailing, we almost feel invincible and it’s easy to take our eyes off of Christ. Of course, we thank Him for the blessings, but it’s in the trials that we draw more near to Him – and He knows this. So, He’ll give us trials that bring us to our knees, and then He’ll comfort us proving His love.
Becoming a Christian is not a means to “hope to not have difficulty” in life. Just the contrary. I think when we’re closest to God, He allows trials to come into our lives to put our eyes on Him even MORE, and make us remember Who it is that we need. Years ago I heard a Pastor speak on this very subject, and he made it very clear that if you become a Christian thinking you’ll not have any “hardships” in life because you have “Jesus on your side”… well, that’s 1) not at all what Christianity is about, and 2) that’s actually not how it works. When we become Christians and start growing in Christ, the enemy loves to have field days with our lives, wreaking havoc. I know many people will tell you “Well, God won’t give me more than I can handle”. Oh, my friend. Wait. That’s not in the Bible (I know I’m not going to be very popular after this, but it’s truth). No, it’s not in the Bible. The truth is, God WILL give you more than you can handle, but what He promises is that He will walk through it with you. So, the concept is similar, but very different. Yes, you will be able to handle it because God will be with you, but it will definitely be more than you can handle – on your own.
“The Lord rescues the Godly; He is their fortress in times of trouble.” – Psalm 37:39 NLT
“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” – Psalm 9:9NLT
We have to learn to shift our focus to God. In the good. In the bad. And everywhere in between. I feel that when I do this, I start changing. When we focus on Him, we start to become more like Him. I am so grateful for the trails in my life, as they’ve just made me stronger in Him.
Keeping my eyes on the Lord (and things above) provide peace in the storms, and certainty in the questions. I’ll choose that every time.
*Dena*
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Oh yes Dena….. I hate it when people say this one too
“Well, God won’t give me more than I can handle”.
But I LOVE how you clarified it.
Keep writing girl…. You got a gift.
Thanks Holli.. <3