Living a life of purpose, trying to redeem my time and encourage others can be exhausting sometimes. Most of the time I have a plan for each day and it is very true that I do want to encourage others.
I have my life with my wonderful family and there are all those things I love about it that keep me busy. But I am talking about past that. Past the "necessary" and looking at the things I choose to do with my other time. I wrote an entire book on living with intention. I used pages and pages of testimonies of people living and who have passed on, people who lived their life with Boldness and purpose. Heroes of faith that encourage my heart. I can read through any chapter in that book and feel encouraged and motivated to push on with plans to serve God.
But I am an overthinking, melancholy person by nature and sometimes I lose my focus on the path forward and start sinking just like Peter when he takes his eyes off Jesus. Matthew 14: 22-33 reads, "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After He had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. Later that night, He was there all alone, and the boat was a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "Its a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus said to them, "Take Courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord save me!'
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' He said, 'why did you doubt?'
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him saying, 'Truly You are the Son of God.'"
SO it is pretty clear. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Life is full of sadness, hurt, loss, trials, adversity. BUT Jesus is right there ready to lift us up out of the storm. He is our calm. He is our peace.
When I feel overwhelmed I often read Psalms. I have so many favorites underlined. I just read 4 or 5 and my perspective really changes. Most Psalms begin with praising God for who He is, then there is a section where the author cries out or shares his burden, then it always wraps up with praise. Always.
No matter what life throws, it is part of a plan, a bigger picture than I can see but I know I can trust God. AND I must FIX MY EYES ON JESUS.
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