Eyes on the Prize
As I read a bible lesson about when the disciples were instructed to leave in their boat ahead of Jesus as he went up a mountain to pray after having preached and fed a multitude of people, I was reminded of how we, even still today, tend to lose sight of what is important.
Matthew 14: 22-33, tells of how when the fishermen saw a sight that frightened them but were assured by Jesus to not be afraid. Seeing it was Jesus who was walking on water as they were approaching them, Peter was in awe and amazement. Peter wanted to join Jesus in this unbelievable action and he called out to Jesus asking Him for permission to join and Jesus replied, “Come.” What an honor Peter must have felt to walk on water with Jesus. It was not long before Peter began to think of all the what if’s in that moment and began to sink and, not until after he called on Jesus and held tightly to his hand was Peter able to walk on water again and return to their boat.
It is so easy to look else where when things start going well for you and sometimes that is the main reason why many of us begin to lose focus. Once that focus is lost we tend to forget the battles that we went through to get where we are now and the heartache that we experienced in the process. We slowly get back to the mind-set of where we allow our past to set the mood and motions of our current actions and decision. It is easy to fall into those traps when we take our eyes of God.
It is easy to feel as if you are unworthy and not even worth the effort at times. We forget how much we have grown as a child of God and sometimes forget all that was left behind, allowing the past to sink us into the water. Keeping your eyes set on God helps you to stay above the water regardless of how big the waves are and regardless of the pain we may feel or how many waves may be coming.
By keeping our eyes, mind and body focused on believing, and faithfully serving God it becomes harder and harder to even feel what the pain from the past has caused. Past hardships become short stories of our trials and tribulations that we are able to share with others in hopes to encourage and motivate them to continue on their spiritual journey. The past makes us strong enough to hold our focus steady on God and because of that we are able to shine brighter for those around us who may be going through something or are about to experience it. We are able to be the example that God needs us to be for those who need the visual example of Gods works and blessings.
These are things that we should think in the moments we feel flesh trying to guide our thoughts and actions backwards. No one is ever perfect, this is something God does not expect us to be, but He does expect us to continue to call on Him so that He can help us and guide us back to safety in His arms.
As it becomes second nature to focus and lean on God, your past will start becoming short stories in your book of life, and you will not be distracted by your past mistakes and heartache. You will become a story-teller that helps to heal and encourage, allowing God to use you to help others stay above water.
**Photo Credit**
by Enkhtuvshin’s 5DmkII
http://www.flickr.com/photos/