We are living in the midst of global changes, unlike anything recent generations have ever experienced — natural disasters, famines, economic uncertainty, political unrest, societal changes, racial divide, and regional and international conflicts.
When we live under this type of heaviness, it is natural to be overwhelmed by negative feelings. We look to the future with worry and fear. We look at the past, remembering what life had been like, with regret and maybe even anger because of our loss. Everything is out of control. Life is filled with uncertainty. We are gripped by fear, feeling powerless, and struggling with hopelessness.
Shift Focus
These overwhelming negative emotions will not change unless we shift our focus from the circumstances that engulf us to our God who lives within us. This God, who is love and who loves us unconditionally, is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He can bring good out of bad situations for He is powerfully good. To help remind us of his faithfulness, God also has given us his promises so we won’t lose hope for the future.
So how can we shift our focus from this world to God?
- Focus on GOD’S MAJESTY more than your circumstances
- Focus on GOD’S FAITHFULNESS instead of your resources
- Focus on TODAY’S BLESSINGS rather than worries about tomorrow
- Focus on THE NEXT STEP instead of predicting the future
- Focus on GOD’S SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE rather than your adversity
This devotional series will help you focus on God.
1. Focus on GOD’S MAJESTY more than your circumstances
God is greater than you think
God is the Creator and Sustainer of our world and of the universe. His authority is absolute over all of His creation both visible and invisible. His power and wisdom are far greater than all the powers and wisdom of His entire creation combined. As a popular Christian song sings His praises, He is our Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, and Light in the Darkness. (Waymaker)
Read more: God Is Greater Than You Think
God loves you more than you know
God is love. Love permeates God’s entire being. God’s holy love transforms, energizes, and empowers us because He is our heavenly Father.
He loves you, period. Even when you don’t feel His love, it’s being poured out over you. Nothing in all of creation will ever change His love for you.
Read more: God Loves You More Than You Know
God keeps his promises
The glory of God is his goodness (Exodus 33:18–19).
God’s majesty is that he keeps all the promises he makes. When you begin to know his many promises in the Bible, hope will return to your heart because you trust him that he will keep his promises. You can trust God because he is holy.
Read more: God Keeps His Promises
2. Focus on GOD’S FAITHFULNESS instead of your resources
God is dependable
God’s faithfulness means that he is dependable. The more you trust him, the more you experience his dependability. The trustworthiness of God is a secure harbor in times of crisis when nothing around you seems unreliable.
Read more: God Is Dependable
God is always with you
God created us, humans, as physical, spiritual, AND relational beings. Relationships make our life unique and special. Among them, the most important relationship in our life is with God. The good news is that He is always with us through our journeys in life.
Read more: God Is Always with You
God promises good out of bad
God is good. He is sovereign. He is all-powerful. The combination of these natures of God means that He can and will redeem even your worst situations and experiences if you trust him with them.
Read more: God Promises Good Out of Bad
3. Focus on TODAY’S BLESSINGS rather than worries about tomorrow
God has blessed you today
Every breath we unconsciously take is a blessing from the Lord. As surely as the sun rises in the morning, God blesses us each day, every day. A grateful heart is very sensitive to experiencing God’s blessings.
Read more: God Has Blessed You Today
God provides for you daily
God is not only the Creator of all things but also the Sustainer. Because God is love, he generously gives. Because he is our heavenly Father, he will always provide for our needs.
Read more: God Provides for You Daily
God has a good plan for you
God has a good plan for you because he created you in love. It is a plan for your best conceived before time began, a plan that encompasses your life not only here on earth but also beyond your earthly existence.
Read more: God Has a Good Plan for You
4. Focus on the next step instead of predicting the future
God guides your steps
God wants to walk with you through every situation. He wants to lead you by hand because he wants you to know him more intimately as you go through life together with him. In good times and bad times, God wants you to stay focused on his assuring presence.
Read more: God Guides Your Steps
God responds to prayer
As the loving heavenly Father, God is listening. He is the source of all good and perfect things. He is waiting for us to approach him and ask because he values a fellowship with us and because we need to learn that we are utterly dependent on him.
Read more: God Responds to Prayer
God’s help is on the way
Even in the seeming silence, God is with you, and his eyes are fixed on you. The Old Testament is filled with stories of God’s help for the people of Israel at the right moment. His help is coming if you are crying out to him.
Read more: God’s Help Is on the Way
5. Focus on God’s supernatural presence rather than your adversity
God offers supernatural power
God has infinite power and abilities that make it possible for him to do amazing things. But God also wants to empower us with the same power of the Holy Spirit so he can do his amazing works in and through us.
Read more: God Offers Supernatural Power
God offers supernatural freedom
When you focus on God’s holy presence, you can experience supernatural freedom. It is spiritual freedom in Christ that leads to many other freedoms such as being free from fear, your spiritual eyes opened to see the enemy’s lies, and being secure in your new identity in Christ.
Read more: God Offers Supernatural Freedom
God offers supernatural peace
Remaining in God’s holy presence brings supernatural peace. This peace of God will anchor your heart and mind securely in Christ. It is supernatural because it does not originate in our understanding of the situations or solutions but is rooted in our relationship with God.
Read more: God Offers Supernatural Peace
Your journey with God
Consider your life as a journey with God. As believers in Christ, we no longer lead this journey. God does, and our life becomes an epic adventure with Jesus.
Read more: Journey Time with God
Our journey with God is spiritual training both for now and for our future. How we handle life’s every difficulty will shape who will become in the coming Kingdom.
Read more: Growing in Tough Times
“Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.” (Judges 18:6, BSB)