Recalculating My Center
Recalculating my Center
The past two weeks have not been my best. Nothing too serious – started with a scratchy throat.You know the feeling.It is like, “Oh No!I am getting sick! NO! I don’t have time for that!”I tried everything I knew to do.I took so much vitamin c, I felt queasy.But after a few days I actually began to get better.“Yay”, I thought!But then it was as if I were in a battle.I thought I was winning...gaining ground.But just as I began to believe the enemy was receding, it made an about face and came back at me with a vengeance.It was determined to win the war.It stopped me in my tracks.Again, it was just bronchitis, sinus infection, ear infection and the like.But…in bed I went for…are you ready for this…3 days!If you know me - you know that is crazy.I just do not enjoy being still.
However, sometimes we need to slow down, take a break and pay close attention to all that is going on around us. I just could not concentrate enough to work or even to write.I was just sedentary.But in the quiet moments, I became more aware than ever of all of the heartbreak that is going on all around me.Are you seeing that too?Bronchitis is nothing.I have friends who are battling cancer, friends recovering from a serious car accident, friends who are enduring extremely difficult trials with their children, friends who have suffered great loss and on and on and on.It is all around me. Many of you reading this may be enduring great difficulties in your life – financial trouble, marital woes, and so many other things we would never wish for.
“Recalculating…recalculating.” Ever heard that?I bet as you read it you can actually hear the voice from your GPS saying it.The GPS is a great invention!It has changed my life for sure.It gets me wherever I need to go.I never want to be without one.But what do we use as a Global Positioning System in our personal life?What guides us?What gets us where we want to go?What causes us to recalculate and get back on the path we need to be on?
You know…as I have talked with, prayed with, and followed these friends on Facebook it becomes very clear who has Jesus at the center of it all. No matter the struggle.No matter the pain.No matter the tears that are shed.They are focused on Him first and foremost – instead of focusing on their pain.As I had this opportunity to sit and soak in the hope that comes from trusting in Jesus no matter what – I again was stopped in my tracks.I had to ask myself, “Do I need to be recalculating my center?What is the center of my life?What am I putting first and foremost?What is guiding me – directing me…no matter what?”
Today, what is truly at the center of your life? Is it you – your needs, your wants, your fears, your struggles?Or is Jesus at the center of it all?Do you want to stop and recalculate with me?We can do this together.We can make sure that Jesus is first and foremost in our life.You see – He loves us so much and has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)No matter what we go through we are never alone.He knows every sorrow and catches our tears.(Psalms 56:8)He will carry us through the hard times.He has promised to use every struggle and every tough situation for good in our lives. (Romans 8:28) He fights for us.(Exodus 14:14)He guides us along the right path (Proverbs 3:5-6).And He promises that what we suffer here will in no way compare with the glory that will be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)
So today – wherever we are…coming out of a struggle, in the midst of one or about to encounter one around the corner…we can trust in the Lord. We can recalculate and make Him our center.We can have peace – peace that passes all understanding.We can have calm in the midst of the storm.We can thank God for the situation we are in – because His glory will be revealed.And we can have HOPE!You see most people think of hope as wishful thinking - but not us.As believers, we know that our HOPE is confident expectation.It is our assurance that we can get through the hard times and come out on the other side victorious.We know we will be redeemed.We know we will be restored.We can have joy.We can have peace.It is our promise of eternity.Hope…hope that comes from placing Jesus at the center of our life.
Romans 5:1-5 tells us, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
I am recalculating my center. How about you?Jesus is enough.He is all we need.
(Be sure to subscribe to this page and never miss a post. Visit www.masterwhatmatters.org. Click on the subscribe tab above the post and follow the directions. Thank you for subscribing!!!)