Keep Your Focus on the Lord

By Andrea Merrell

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.

Psalm 138:8 NKJV

Suddenly, my world was blurry. I blinked, adjusted my glasses, blinked again. Nothing.

Thinking something was wrong with my eyes, anxiety crept in. Not a good feeling or situation when you’ve had a corneal transplant and cataract surgery in each eye. Thankfully, before panic could fully set in, I realized one of the nose pieces on my glasses was missing, causing my lenses to shift and throw my vision out of focus.

But isn’t that what happens with our spiritual vision? When something is missing in our walk with the Lord, our life shifts and throws everything off. Our vision becomes blurry.

The Bible is full of instructions about keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Him. Why? Because He is always with us and promises to perfect all that concerns us—every problem, situation, circumstance, and decision. When our thoughts wander away from His presence, we fail to see our way clearly.

In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young shares His heart with us:

A trusting response includes me in your thoughts as you consider strategies to deal with a situation. My continual presence is a promise, guaranteeing that you never have to face anything alone. Gently bring your attention back to me whenever it wanders away. I look for persistence—rather than perfection—in your walk with me. ~Jesus

If you’re struggling to make sense of what’s happening in your life, check your spiritual glasses. Maybe the nose piece has fallen off, and all you have to do is replace it. Shift your attention back to the Lord. Trust in Him, and He will bring all things back into focus.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and photostock.)

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Blurred Vision

By Andrea Merrell

Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror,

but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Vision is a gift and something to be very thankful for. It’s easy to take it for granted until you begin to have problems.

I’ve worn glasses for most of my life. About twenty-five years ago, I was diagnosed with a corneal disease and was told surgery would be in my future. Sure enough, five years ago I had a corneal transplant (along with cataract removal). At some point I will have to have the same surgery in my other eye. In the meantime—with one eye getting better and the other getting worse—it is an ongoing struggle trying to get just the right prescription for my glasses.

As a writer and editor, my eyes are critical to my job. In the past few months, my computer glasses have helped me tremendously in my work, along with avoiding eye strain. They are a great help when used for their intended purpose. The problem comes when I get up from the computer and walk away … forgetting to change glasses. It’s amazing how the whole world looks blurred.

It can be the same in our spiritual life. The Bible says, Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. When I forget to put on the right “glasses” (seeing through the filter of God’s Word), everything around me seems distorted. But when I look at people and situations through the mirror of His Word, things become clearer.

There will come a day when we will stop seeing through that cloudy mirror and truly see everything with perfect clarity. Until that day, let's make sure we have on the right glasses.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and photostock.) 

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