Keep Your Eyes Fixed On Jesus
What do you focus on the most in your life? What fuels you, in a positive way? What lets you down? Is it a person? Is it a tangible thing? I think that our outlook on life is an indicator of our faith. Check out these verses from Hebrews 12:1-2,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Sidenote: that little word at the beginning, “therefore”, indicates that the writer intends for the reader to keep something in mind he had just read. So, when you see that little word, for context, go back and see what the writer is talking about. In this case, the writer had just talked about the heroes in faith: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel and the prophets. If you’ve never read Hebrews11, go and read it when you’re finished reading this and be encouraged! Then, find out where their lives are mentioned in the Bible, and read about them. I promise, your faith will be inspired after reading about them all.)
The verses I wrote out, though, this is what I’d like to encourage you in. Do you ever get really let down by someone you love? How about when you’re on your phone and you keep reading and seeing all the horror going on in this world all around us? Do you quickly become discouraged, and honestly, a little disgusted by humanity? When you think of your future, and your future family, do you get a little quickening in your heart, about what this world may be like by the time they come along?
None of this is going to go away, friends. One thing we know is that in the Bible, Jesus Himself promised that we will have troubles in this world.
I have told you these things so that you I me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
Jesus never promised the world would be without trouble. In fact, He promised the opposite, in the verse above. That’s what I mean when I say that these disappointments and hurts in life are never going to get any better. The stories we read about in the news will keep on getting worse. But isn’t it comforting to know that in Jesus, we have peace?
Everything we face in life is because we live in a broken world. God never intended it to be this way! He created everything perfectly, and in Genesis, we see over and over that what He created was good. But the enemy snuck in, caused Eve to doubt in her heart that God’s word was not true, and she disobeyed God. He told them they could eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden, except for one tree: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She took from the tree, ate the fruit, passed it along to her husband Adam, and instantly, their eyes were opened and they were ashamed, and tried to hide their sin from God. That was when sin entered the world.
To read more, start at the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis. From that point to present day, all the evil and brokenness around us is a direct result of sin.
That is why we should never be surprised by what we face. People will let us down over and over again. People who are lost and don’t know Jesus are going to act in exactly that way - lost. They will keep doing things to hurt others or themselves. Sickness will keep occurring. Marriages will keep being torn apart. People will continually turn away from God. They won’t read His word, they won’t pray and seek Him. God is not surprised by any of this. He designed all of humanity to have freewill. They could obey or they could disobey.
In His kindness and mercy, He created us to long for Him. We would never long for something we were forced with. He gave us a choice: follow Him and have life eternally, deny Him and choose death forever.
None of these hard things surprise God. He knew what it was like to suffer. He cried tears of blood, He was in such anguish in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion. He knew what it was like to be let down by a close friend. Judas Iscariot was one of the original twelve disciples, and he was the one who turned on Jesus and handed Him over to be put to death.
He knew what it was like to face ridicule and pain. He hung on a tree for the sin of the world, and not just for me and for you, but for the sinners of the entire world. He knows what it’s like when life is pressing in on you and closing you up in its grip.
And through it all, the writer of Hebrews (who is unknown), says to look to Him. Some translations say, “Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.” Those verses also say to lay aside every weight. Lay aside that sin. Remember that we live in a very broken and hurting world. Remember that lost people act like lost people. Remember that when you have an issue with a fellow brother or sister in the faith, that our war is never against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness (Ephesians 6:12).
When we have an issue with someone, the Bible is clear: we are to go to them and talk to them. We’re not to go when we’re angry and hurt, but we are to go to them in kindness, gentleness, and lovingly. The enemy often works through those who belong to the Lord. When we don’t read the Bible, when we don’t pray and seek the Lord, the enemy gains a foothold in us, and we can quickly be overcome. We should pray for those who persecute us, and we should pray for those who hurt us the most.
If I had one catchphrase in life it would be that life is hard, even with Jesus. But life without Him would be impossible. Another thing I often say to people is that people are humans, and humans disappoint other humans. The only perfect person to have ever walked on this earth was Jesus Himself, and He will never let any one of us down. I promise you this, and I can say that standing solidly upon the word of God.
And though life is so hard, even walking closely with Jesus, I take such comfort in the fact that He knew what it was like to suffer hardships, persecutions, disappointments, and hurts. And when I am hurting and distressed, I try not to turn to social media, or even my best friend in real life, but I turn to Jesus and pour my heart out to Him. That is what I want to encourage you with—give it all to Jesus, dear sister, because He loves and cares for you.
A Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that we can come to You with all of life’s hurts. You knew what it was like more than anyone to be let down by a human being. Thank You for being our burden bearer. Thank You for Your love, Your kindness and mercy, and thank You for Your grace. When we’re hurt or offended, help us to let things like that go quickly, and help us to turn to You for comfort and the peace that only You can give. I love You so much, Lord. I ask these things in Your beautiful name. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
When Jennifer isn't focusing on her family of her husband and four (almost) grown sons, she is passionate about leading women to a deeper knowledge of and relationship with Jesus, through the reading of the Bible and through prayer. After years of serving in student ministry, the Lord pulled her out of that and planted her solidly in the women's ministry within her local church. She leads a small group on Wednesday nights, and together they study the word of God verse by verse, and book by book of the Bible. She loves to write, and you can find her sharing regularly on her blog, Overflowing With Thanksgiving. She also loves to sing and to help lead worship at her church, and will always be a choir girl at heart. You can find out more about her and her hobbies on her favorite social media outlet Instagram, as @JenLloydGoodwin.