Keeping our...Eternal Perspectives

I will confess that many days I allow my emotions to dictate my attitude towards how I view life...

I don't always feel like smiling or seeing the bright side to a situation which is beyond my control, and many times I simply don't want to give a cheerful answer or sing praises to my Lord.

My struggle is against allowing allowing the roots of bitterness (Heb 12:15), anger, sorrow or disillusionment in my heart to well up and spill over, becoming manifested in my countenance and words.

In our lives, we need to realise that we will face challenges of many kinds (James 1:2-3)....  We are not promised a life of ease or comfort, but rather of trading our selfish motives and desires to physically pick up our cross and follow the Lord Jesus (Luke 9:23).

But in the midst of difficulty, pain or trial, we need to maintain an Eternal perspective and embrace what the Lord is teaching us and lean more on Him... Our fight is not against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12)...  And this is just our temporary home...

We need not go about our lives with an air of martyrdom either, but with a joyful, thankful spirit (1 Peter 1:8-9).  God loves a cheerful giver...

Perhaps like me you are more inclined to give in to self-pity and look for someone to commiserate with or pull down...  Misery loves company, as the saying goes.  The One we should turn to is ever near and gives the wisest counsel and strengthens our soul...

I am realising that in difficult times...lean times...times of sorrow and pain, there is nothing we can do but rely on the Lord for our strength and provision, both physically and spiritually.  

What else can we do but rest in the arms of our loving Saviour...? (Jer 6:16)

Too often I fight the wrong way...my heart rebels and I refuse to do my fighting in prayer...

I can wrestle and shed enough tears to fill an ocean, but this will not uplift nor move me to the final destination any faster...it will only discourage, demotivate and tire me out and not to mention, bring others around me down in the process.

I write to encourage you today, dear friend, as I write to encourage and challenge myself.
Go to Jesus and give all your troubles to the One who cares.  It is painful at first to hand over your concerns and worries, but once those tiresome burdens have left your shoulders, you will be light and free! (Mat 11:29-30)

I am learning...I am a work in progress and thankful that Jesus loves me even when I pull away from His loving embrace.

He sees the trouble in the deepest part of our hearts and longs to give us peace and hope (Jer 29:11).

We will still have to walk through whatever it is we are facing, but we won't have to walk alone.  

We can take His hand, let Him whisper words of truth and comfort to us...
May we be ever mindful that He is refining us like silver (Zec 13:9) and that His work in us has yet to be completed (Phil 1:6)...

Let us daily turn our eyes upon Jesus and take everything to the Lord in prayer...

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

~ 2 Timothy 4:7-8, KJV

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