Do you ever at times feel like your heart is the state of your bedroom at peak messiness? Like I’m talking about the kind of mess when you’re running late and picking out the outfit that you should have picked out the night before. Clothes and chaos everywhere kind of messy.
Sometimes I feel that type of overwhelming chaos in my heart. Maybe final exams are coming up for you, you’re not really sure what is next for yourself, your family is having a hard time getting along, or things have just felt a little bit weird lately. Whatever it might be for you, I pray that you cling to this verse today:
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. -Colossians 3:2
I love this verse because it helps us shift our perspective. When this is the posture of our hearts, focused on things above, we are able to rest in the promises He has given us and the life He has called us to live. On my mirror I have a sticky note that says,
For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.
It is just something that I read one time that really put it in perspective for me how often I look at myself and the problems that I face and how much more I should be looking at Christ. Take some time to practice this during this week, maybe by yourself, or in a small group. Talk about what it is that life is throwing at you and take time to shift your perspective from to the trial to the cross. Take time to rest in His promises for your life and truly believe the goodness and abundance that the Lord has for you. I think shifting our perspective is transformative.
We are most definitely going to continue to have messes in our lives, but what if they were an opportunity? An opportunity to die to ourselves daily and take hold of what Jesus has already conquered for us. We have a choice. We get to choose how we respond to the mess. Do we dwell in it? Or do we allow the peace of God to transform our hearts and the way we think? Do we give thanks to Him daily, because another day is another opportunity to praise him?
We are sons and daughters of the King. The King of heaven, the One who calls us by name. The One who paid the price for us. The One who has conquered death. The One who loves us. My prayer today is that you would take your eyes off the mess and choose to fix your eyes on Him, the author and perfecter of our faith. Let's turn our eyes to the one who knows us individually.