Look to God and not circumstances. This is a lesson the Lord would like us to learn. With all that is happening worldwide, many people are having difficulty coping. You may be in a situation that seems like it will never end as you look down at your problem. There are times when we feel that our circumstances will never change. We cannot look beyond our troubles that seem to turn our lives upside down.
Leah, the wife of Jacob, felt unloved and thought if I have a son, my husband would love me. Leah gave birth to three sons, yet her husband, Jacob, still did not love her. Genesis 29:35 Once again, Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!”[1] Leah’s circumstances did not change, but she began to look up and praise the Lord.
Fix Your Thoughts on Things Above
Sometimes the way we think about our circumstances is what holds us back. When we hold on to negative thoughts, it clouds our hearts. If we believe our situation is hopeless, we miss what the Lord could be doing in our life. But God has given us the mind of Christ.
Philippians 4:8And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.[2]
An older woman in our church was once vibrant and involved in personal ministry to others and now was homebound. Looking up to the Lord in this new season, she became a prayer warrior interceding for others. In God’s mercy, He reassigned her to a ministry that would make a significant difference in the lives of others. She blessed me as she prayed for my ministry.
Being Thankful
During World War II, Betsie ten Boom was in a concentration camp but always looked up to the Lord in difficult circumstances. One day she noticed a tiny flower growing near the fence around the camp and took time to meditate on its beauty. Her circumstances had not changed, but the flower was evidence of God’s beauty.
Matthew 6:30And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. [3] As we begin to be thankful, it begins to lift our spirits as we focus on the Lord and not ourselves. Remember, as a believer in Jesus, you are a child of God. One day the Lord will take you to heaven for all eternity in a perfect place. The Lord loves you so much that He gave His life for you on the cross. The Lord is always thinking about you and is aware of your situation. Our life is temporal, but eternity with Jesus is forever.
To hear how to look to God and not circumstances, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/god-uses-the-dysfunctional
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.