A recent visit to my ophthalmologist included the assessment of several lens options to allow my eyes to focus at 20/20 visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision). A combination of lenses are necessary to achieve this optimum condition—one for reading, one for viewing objects clearly at a distance, one for computer work, and finally darkened lenses that allows me to keep my eyes open in the sunlight. My new lenses work wonderfully if I place them over my eyes; they are useless when stored in their cases.
Just as my vision lenses bring hazy objects into clear focus, so my choice to view my daily challenges through the lens of faith adjusts my spiritual focus so that I am “walking by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7) I am comforted by the reality that Scripture provides me with several examples to emulate.
The Apostle Paul presents four lenses for a faith focused walk in Philippians 3:12-14 —a legitimate dissatisfaction (Phil. 3:12), a single focus (Phil. 3:13), strong determination (Phil. 3:12, 14), and a primary purpose (Phil. 3:13, 14).
Paul’s legitimate dissatisfaction is a lens through which we can choose to view 2021. While he was satisfied with his salvation, he was dissatisfied with his spiritual status because he was not all that he knew he could or should be. The Christian life is to be exciting—and if we view 2021 through the lens of faith, we can be enthusiastic about our spiritual growth, regardless of the outward circumstances. Since all of the events that will occur during the year are filtered by your heavenly Father, will you choose, as did the Proverbs 31 woman, to “smile at the future” (Prov. 31:25)?
Paul’s single focus challenges us to eliminate the unnecessary from our lives. Our quest toward Christlikeness puts life into a single focus—Paul says, “this one thing I do." As maturing Christians, that single focus is to serve God with our entire being (Col. 3:17). Our Lord Jesus is the ultimate role example for this single focus. He did not complete all of the tasks that He could have accomplished, but He did finish the work His Father gave Him to do (John 17:4). Will you choose to walk by faith this year, focus on completing, with excellence, the responsibilities your heavenly Father assigns to you, and shed the unnecessary?
Paul’s strong determination helped him to focus on maintaining momentum toward the work his Father assigned him. We will not succeed without it, but its source must be executed in the strength of the Holy Spirit, rather than sheer determination (Phil. 4:13). As Christian women, do we have the faith to continue pursuing the work our heavenly Father calls us to even when our bodies, minds, and hearts cry STOP (Phil. 3:14)?
Finally, Paul embraced a primary purpose, and he moved toward it with steadfastness. When completing the work our heavenly Father assigned us is our primary purpose we are challenged to keep our eyes focused on the future! Have you defined your primary purpose for 2021? If not, I urge you to prayerfully do so and then, through our Lord’s strength, focus on making daily progress toward it (2 Tim. 4:5-8)!
Kelsey’s Korner focuses on the importance of placing our faith in the solid rock of truth rather than circumstances as we embrace the joys and challenges of 2021.
KELSEY’S KORNER
I bring good tidings to you today: 2020 is almost over! And as the days march forward towards the New Year, the nation is breathing a collective sigh of relief. It has been a hard year…one for the records, and 2021, with the promise of a COVID-19 vaccine and potential ease to political stress, is already looking like a sunrise after a long, dark night. Most of America, in fact, most of the world, is putting their faith in the New Year. Where is your faith placed this year?
Although 2020 was a hard year, mine ended in joy with the birth of our first son! I longed for his arrival for months, the anticipation growing harder to manage with each week that brought us closer to his due date. After laboring for several exhausting and painful hours, my joy was finally complete when I saw his sweet face and held his tiny body in my arms for the first time! Little did I know the trials that this tiny human would bring.
During the first week after my son’s birth, I slept a total of around 5 hours. The lack of sleep combined with the nervousness of caring for a tiny, helpless being and the realization that my life as I’d known it had changed forever came crashing down on me! In addition to those stresses, our son had some medical issues that landed us in the ER. As I reflect on the cacophony of immense joy, stress, and anxiety during the last few weeks, a thought emerged: even good times—times of immense joy and blessing—bring challenges to our faith. If our faith is placed in our circumstances, we will be shaken.
Jesus concludes His famous Sermon on the Mount with the familiar parable of the wise man who built his house on the rocks and the fool who built his house on the sand. When the winds and the rains came, the house on the sand came crashing down while the house on the rocks “did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Matt. 7:25). Similarly, if our lives are built on false faiths and hopes rather than faith in the infallible promises in the Word of God, when the winds of trials arrive, our lives will come crashing down.
2020 is concluding with promises of a new and better year around the corner, but our faith cannot be placed in these promises. Until the Lord returns and makes all things new, trials will continue to threaten to shake our foundation, regardless of how joyful or difficult our circumstances. Instead, purpose with me this New Year to focus on placing our faith in the solid rock of truth:
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This means that our faith cannot be placed on the earthly things we see but instead must be built on the hopes and convictions given to us in the Word of God.
Instead of our circumstances, 2 Corinthians 4:18 further encourages us to fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Hebrews 12:2 urges us to look to Jesus as our example of how to live, since he is “the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Romans 10:17 reveals that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Because of this, our time is well invested when we seek the word of God through personal and corporate Bible studies.
As your new year begins, I pray it is filled with joy, love, and comfort that flows not from circumstances, but from a secure faith that is built on the truths of Christ!
THE EVERYDAY HOMEMAKER’S MONTHLY MEDITATION THOUGHT
God’s Word states, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of Godin Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)
Therefore, I may boldly say, I can approach 2021 with confidence because faith is my focus.
You might enjoy other of our faith focused Posts:
“Is Your Vision 20/20 for 2020?”
“Is Your Focus for Fall Fear or Faith?”
“The Godly Woman’s 2016 Priorities”
“I Know How Holds the Future…and I Know Who Holds My Hand”
Blessings on your day as you focus on making your house a home!