Have you ever had one of those days.......one of those weeks....one of those months.....that it seems as though your whole world has been shaken, that every bit of news that comes your way shakes you to the very core? Well, for the past little while, it seems to have been my turn. Every place I go, there is more bad news, more tragedy, more unbelievable events happening around me!
I know I am not alone. Everyone goes through these times. There have been some disappointing things happen at church, there have been some deaths of faithful saints in the church, sad things are happening to good people on the job, health issues are arising in family members, financial burdens are getting heavier, the economy is looking bad...........it seems it never ends for me! It's gotten to the point that I catch my breath every time the phone rings!
These are definitely some testing times. What can I do?......well, therein lies the choice. In Joshua 24:15, the Bible says, "...choose you this day whom ye will serve...." It's your choice as to what you will do. As for me, I chose to keep my eyes on the cross! He who knew NO sin, CHOSE to become sin so that I may have eternal life! No matter how hard things get in this life, I MUST stay focused on the One who has never let me down and never will........the One who will never forsake me!
I know the load gets so heavy. Satan is certainly there to let us stay aware of just how bad things are.....and how bad things will continue to be and to worsen. These are the times you must stay focused on the cross and keep pressing onward!!! If you do this, there is strength for you. God will not let you walk it alone! You may feel you are alone, but that is a test to see what you will choose to do, who you will follow. Once you make the choice to keep following Him, then He will help you all the way!
Yes, I've had some horrible news hit me the last couple of weeks........from every way I look, from every aspect of my life, I've been having to face hardships. Could I give up? Yes, if that's what I choose. But, you see, I've tasted the Lord, and I know what He has in store, and I MUST keep going on for Him! He's done so much for me! And by doing so, by choosing to follow on, He just keeps sending me little 'handfuls of purpose' to keep me plodding on! Thank you Lord!
For instance, I was feeling very low, very down....but I choose to keep my eyes on the cross, so therefore, I keep praying, keep on reading His Word....and God saw my need....and my devotional time was found over in Jeremiah 32:27 "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" My devotion kept talking about needing to hear that God is still in control, it's not over until He says so, that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out....they are the reason to sit tight!!! What a blessing, just what I needed to hear! I also had a coworker bless me, and she didn't even know it! She's a single mother of a teenager. We talk about the Lord alot. She works the weekends only, to be with her son more. But she had been talking about the fact that he has not been wanting to go to church (his aunt has been taking him). She told me that he said, "Mom, you don't go....so why do I have to?" She had asked my advise, and we had talked about things. I had not seen her in a while, and just the other day I worked with her again. She told me that she had done what I suggested, and had gone to her boss. She now works Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays! She no longer works on Sundays! Before she worked Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. Now she can take her son to church, and she was so glad, that it had not only helped her son....but it was helping her, too! Well, Praise the Lord.....nothing in me, but all in Christ! She'll never know how those encouraging words helped me! Do you think it was just a coincidence that my devotion topic was on disappointments, do you think it was just a happenstance that I worked that day with that woman? NO WAY....God saw that I am in a hardship right now, but that through His grace I was staying focused on the cross, and He cared enough to send a little encouragement my way! Thank you, Lord!!
There is another lady that I've been helping her with something she's been struggling with. I told her that I would ask her about how it is going every now and then, to 'keep her on track'....if you will. I've had so much going on, that, to be honest, I've not thought about it lately. Well, last night she grabbed my arm and said, "Hey, you haven't asked me in a while......so ask me!!!" I did, and she had wonderful news for me, and we were able to rejoice in that answered prayer! She needed the pat on the back......I needed to hear the encouraging words that God is still answering prayers!!!!
Our pastor preached a wonderful message in John, chapter 21, also. It was about the story of how Peter and the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing, until the Lord showed up and had them cast on the right side of the boat. His title for the message was, "Drifting too far from the shore." I knew I would enjoy the message, but I thought, okay, it's going to be about backsliding, getting our eyes off of the Lord....and it was to a point, but it just seemed to keep coming around and seemed to be screaming to me to just keep pressing on, to keep my eyes on the cross! His points were that they drifted too far from the shore because they: 1) fulfilled the wrong purpose, 2) followed the wrong person, 3) and fished in the wrong place. They took their focus off of following Christ, and listened to Peter, and instead of waiting on the Lord to show up, they went fishing!
How many times do we all do this? We need an answer, the way looks dark, we get all bad news, seems like, and we don't know what to do? And instead of waiting on the Lord, we get our eyes off of the cross, and listen to someone else, who may even mean well, and end up going down the wrong path! But, I'm so thankful that even when we do this....that God will still show up and help us out anyway.......fill our nets full and not let the net break! Thank you, Lord!
It all goes back to this...........KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE CROSS!! Make your christianity.....YOURS! You cannot live for Christ for someone else, you cannot live for Christ because of someone else. This thing is all an individual choice! Have you made that choice? Don't live for the Lord because your parents do, because your spouse does, because of your church or pastor, because your friends do.......my friend, this life is full of failures and bad circumstances, and you will fall! You've got to live for Christ on your own! Lot did pretty well when he was with Abraham, didn't he? But when he had to do it on his own.........he failed! We are all human, we all make mistakes...........take the time now to get in God's Word for yourself and build your own foundation..........when the storm comes, you will have something to hold on to that is not human, not full of mistakes...........and it WILL see you through...........Keep your eyes on the cross!!!!!
