Monday, October 24, 2022

             I recently had my annual eye exam.  My optometrist asked me to fix my eyes on certain locations as he conducted the exam to test my vision and the health of my eyes.  Where I fixed my eyes made a difference in how my doctor could determine the well-being of my sight.  In our faith, we are asked to fix our eyes as well.  Scripture tells us exactly where to look and focus our gaze.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  This wise apostle was calling us to see the Lord and the things of faith more than we see our circumstances and the temporary things in life that can easily dominate our field of vision and even our lives.  There are some excellent life lessons we can easily glean from this one verse.
            First, we have to decide what we focus on.  The choice is ours to make.  We cannot blame others for what we choose to see or to dwell on.  We can fix our eyes on the unsettled and changing world scene or we can fix our eyes on the Lord.  We can allow ourselves to be disturbed and frustrated or we can look to the One who has conquered every kind of temptation or trial we might be experiencing in life.  It has been often said that we cannot always control the things that happen to us.  But we can certainly control our response or reaction to those things.  The way we respond rests squarely in our hands and heart.
            Second, we are to look for the Lord each day and not be obsessed with or blinded by the things we see.  School, your job, a health matter or a family crisis can easily dominate your thinking and capture your peace of mind and heart.  Such things can rob you of sleep and contentment.  It can be good to have some Bible verses memorized that can reshape and reframe your thinking when those occasions occur.  You want to be able to see the Lord and His Word each day more than you want to see the things that oppress you or disturb you.
            Third, remember that everything we experience in this world or life is temporary and not everlasting.  You might be familiar with the well-worn cliché that says “this too shall pass.”  Such a line might be a cliché but it does contain a lot of truth.  We do not want to be dominated and captured by things that have no eternal command or control over us.  And troubles do tend to pass in after a season.  Just one verse earlier, in 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”  Did you see what Paul wrote about earthly and temporary things?  They are “light and momentary.”  These things will pass and we will be fine.  God remains in control and we are still yielded to Him.  Make sure you place the temporary and earthly things where they belong...at the feet of Christ who is God over them and you.
            These words from 2 Corinthians have much to say about balance in life and keeping one’s heart and head in the right place.  That can be hard to do when the battles come at us so quickly and so unrelentingly.  But the Lord supplies the grace and guidance we need to refocus and to reshape.  Have a great Monday and remember you can worship anytime at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.