Several years ago, my daughter got several new pairs of pants. Since she is like her mother, she is height challenged. All of her pants needed to be hemmed. Thankfully, my Aunt Shirley was able to help us out and came to measure my daughter to know how to hem them. She brought a stepping stool for my daughter to stand on to make it easier. My aunt and I sat in the floor to measure her and while we were doing this, my daughter kept losing her balance.
She lost her balance several times and twice grabbed my head to keep her from falling. I couldn’t figure out why she was having such a difficult time because the stool was more than wide enough for her to stand comfortably on. I finally realized what the problem was. My daughter was trying to look down and see what we were doing, which was causing her to lose her balance and stumble. I pointed her to a picture on the wall, said look straight ahead at it, and don’t move.
When my daughter stopped trying to see what we were doing and looked straight ahead, she never lost her balance again. While I was still on the floor helping measure her leg length, the Lord was already speaking to my heart and reminding me what a perfect visual lesson this was. When my daughter tried to focus on what was going on around her, she lost her balance, nearly fell, and almost took me with her, but when she fixed her gaze ahead of her, she was able to stand.
When we look at the problems going on around us, when we look at our circumstances, we can lose our footing. When we are so busy looking around that we forget to look up and look ahead, we can lose our balance. When we lose our “balance” or in other words, lose our perspective or our focus, we risk stumbling and falling. Looking around at our circumstances does not help us but looking up and looking ahead can. That’s where our answer lies.
If you want your steps to be sure. If you want to walk securely, you must look up and look ahead. “[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2a) is great advice to follow. Paul advised Timothy and us as well, in 2 Timothy 2:8 to “keep your attention on Jesus Christ”. If we want to walk in a way that we will not be as likely to stumble or fall, we must keep our eyes focused on Him.
The only way to walk securely without stumbling is to keep looking ahead and fixing our gaze upon Him. If I look at my circumstances, I am overwhelmed. If I look at my problems, I start battling anxiety. If I look at the things going on around me, I lose my focus. But, if I look up and fix my eyes on Him, I am able to stand. I am able to keep pressing on. He gives me strength. He makes my feet steady. “God- He clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect” Psalm 18:32.
With my eyes fixed on Him instead of looking at my circumstances, I find the strength I need. He helps me to keep walking, knowing He is walking with me. Beloved, whatever you may be facing today, don’t look around you. Look up and look ahead. Fix your eyes on the Problem-Solver, not your problems. Trust Him to see you through the way He always has before. I may not know much but this I do know! My God is faithful and can be counted on to see you through.
Hold on to Him. Fix your eyes on Him and refuse to let the enemy distract you with what is going on around you. Keep looking up at the One who has promised to see you through. He will help you, my friend. You can trust Him. One last reminder before we go. Just as my daughter nearly took me with her when she stumbled, you can hurt people close to you if you stumble and fall. Don’t give up. Don’t lose perspective. Don’t let the enemy cause you to stumble.
There are people close to you that could be hurt by your fall. For their sake, I pray that you will look up and look ahead, asking Him to give you the strength you need to keep pressing on. Now, more than ever, those closest to you need to see you clinging to Jesus like never before. Hold on to Him and let Him help you shine for Him. Get in His Word and let Him write it upon your heart so that you can cling to His promises, dear heart. Hold on to Him and rest assured, He is holding on to you.
One last word of encouragement, dear heart. There are far better days ahead than we can possibly imagine. Someday, this life will be over, and every sorrow will fade away as we look into the eyes of the One who died to call us His own. What a beautiful day to look forward to. Until then, beloved, keep looking up and looking forward to that wonderful day.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
Katrina Douglas
