“Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.” (Psalm 143:8)
—I can relate.
Life has a way of not turning out as you planned, or had hoped. Unmet expectations. Under-utilized potential. Unrealized dreams. However, it's not like we should be surprised, after all, Jesus did say that in this life we will have trouble—tribulation.
But then He said, "But be of good cheer—for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Try as we might, we cannot overcome the world in of ourselves. We have no natural strength, wisdom, or power so great that we can overcome alone that which only Christ could overcome.
How then are we to be of good cheer as Jesus said?
He begins this verse by saying, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace."
Peace begins by simply being in Christ—saved by grace. Placed in God's family. Our names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise unto the Day of Redemption. Seated in the heavenly places with Christ. Filled with God's own Spirit. Eternally joined to God, never to be separated from Him again.
Kind of hard to be discouraged when you really get hold of the Truth of those amazing promises from our Everlasting Father.
I get discouraged when I take my eyes off of Christ, and look down at the stormy seas of my circumstances, failures and shortfalls. That's why we are encouraged in the Bible to lift up our eyes towards Heaven—to look up.
“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)
“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 25:1)
“Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 86:4)
“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.” (Psalm 123:1)
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)
“Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.” (Psalm 143:8)
Ultimately, our peace, our hope and help, cannot come from man, or from the things of this world. Our hope is in Christ alone.
A friend reminded me recently to, "fail forward—not backwards."
"What does that mean and how can I do that?" you may ask. By reaching out, crying out, and running to your Savior—Jesus. Not by falling backwards in shame, depression, or self-loathing. Every failure is an example and an education on 'what not to do' next time. And every failure is an opportunity to run to Jesus and ask Him for His comfort, wisdom and peace. He will never say "no" to that prayer.
The apostle James writes: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
God loves it when I humble myself and confess to Him; "Lord Jesus, without You I can do nothing." When I acknowledge my utter weakness and my inability to fix myself or make my life right.
Here is perhaps my favorite Psalm, and very appropriate today for many of us:
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken
heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
What is "contrite?" It literally means "crushed" (powder).
What an amazing love the Father has for us! He is near to all of us who have a broken heart—who are so crushed in spirit that only He can save us and lift us up. That love makes we want to draw nearer and nearer to God. Such a wonderful and faithful Father He is!
When Peter walked on the water to Jesus, he began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the stormy seas. But when he cried out, "Lord, save me!" immediately Jesus reached out and lifted him up.
And that's our word of encouragement from the Lord today.
Keep your eyes and focus on Jesus.
And if and when you do take your eyes off Him and focus on your stormy circumstances and troubles so that you begin to sink into a sea of despair—look up to Jesus and cry out to Him, "Lord, save me!"
And just as He did for sinking Peter, so too will Jesus lift you up out of your despair and give you His peace.
Your stormy circumstances may or may not go away. But regardless, when you humble yourself and cry out for the Lord to save you, He will lift you up.
Look up, for in His presence is fullness of joy.
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
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