Where is Your Focus? – Get Me Outta Here!
Dr. Calvin Sweeney wrapped up the Get Me Outta Here! series last weekend. Calvin’s bottom line was, “Hope grows when we trust God’s promises for tomorrow.” Today we will focus on the truth that God will bring me through.
No matter what you are struggling with today, you can trust God. He promised that he would help you, and he will be right beside you, holding your hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall. For the Lord holds them by the hand.
My heart leaps for joy and hope when I realize that the God of the universe delights in every detail of our lives. He is right beside us, preventing us from falling.
As we’ve traveled through the book of Daniel, we’ve witnessed his incredible faith. Daniel didn’t focus on all the injustice around him or how unfair his life was. All of his hope was in God. He was able to thrive in Babylon because he trusted God to help him through his struggles, and we see how God continually showed up during the difficult times Daniel faced. He was never alone.
I have found that reflecting on the ways God has helped me increases my faith, gratitude, and hope. A couple years ago, I began keeping a gratitude journal. Each day, I write down three things I am grateful for. At the beginning of 2021, I looked back over my blessings for each day during the previous year. Even though 2020 was an extremely difficult year for almost everyone, I was amazed by how faithful and good God had been to me. I was overwhelmed with gratitude because, in retrospect, it was a much better year than I remembered.
1 Peter 1:6
So truly be glad there is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure trials for a little while.
It was very easy to see that my hope, trust, and faith all depended on where I focused. When I focused on my blessings, I was able to find joy—regardless of my circumstances. But when I focused on all the negatives, I was overwhelmed and depressed.
My exercise in gratitude has been invaluable. Moving forward, I will do all that I can to shift my focus to God, trusting him to fill me with his peace, joy, and hope. What will you focus on?
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Questions:
What or whom do you put your hope in? What have you learned from studying the book of Daniel? What will you focus on?
Next Steps:
Meditate on the Scripture verses above and on this truth: God will bring me through. Write down three things you are grateful for each day.
Share your hope and joy with someone else by participating in the Hope it Helps Campaign.
Prayer:
Jesus, I am overwhelmed and so grateful that you love me so much. I choose today and every day to put my focus on you. I will trust you when I struggle. I am so blessed that my Lord and Savior delights in every detail of my life. Fill me with your peace, hope, and joy. Let your love flow through me to others. Help my life bring you glory. Amen.
This post was written by Marsha Raymond. Marsha has been happily married to her husband, Jeff, for 30 years. They have two grown sassy and fearless daughters. She loves spending time with God, her family and friends, reading, riding bicycles, yoga and walking.
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