“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” —Psalms 42:1
Have you ever been so heavy with burdens that you could feel your soul groaning from within you crying out for rest? Desperate for water? For peace? For clarity?
Jesus said in this world we would have trouble. Boy was He right! Life gets hard. Even the good things in life can become a weight on our shoulders. The pressures to provide for our family who we love. The weight of our jobs we are so thankful we have.
And then there are the storms we face. You know those storms that seem to stir up from nowhere and knock you off your feet. Storms that catch you up in the whirlwind and jolt you too and fro. I think we’ve all endured a storm in life.
This morning I woke up pondering the storm. I saw Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm described in Mark 4 which had waves so tall they nearly flipped the boat they were in. But Jesus slept. How could He sleep? Because His eyes weren’t fixed on the storm, they were fixed on the Father. Jesus could easily have calmed the storm before He slept but He didn’t. He’s showing us that circumstance shouldn’t impact our trust in God. Our trust in God should impact our circumstance. Our trust in God should cause a shift in our perspective of our current issue. God is bigger. God is greater. His promise is to protect us and quiet our soul.
Friend, when you face a storm in life—turn your eyes upon Jesus. Fix your gaze on Him. Don’t allow your circumstance to knock you off your feet stirring up fear within you rather allow your trust in God to stir up your faith!
Fix your eyes on the One who calms the storms in life!
Jesus…
1The Lordis my shepherd, I lack nothing.2He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right pathsfor his nameʼs sake.4Even though I walkthrough the darkest valley,I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.—Psalm 23:1–4
Jesus is the living water. Jesus refreshes our soul. Jesus is the beacon of truth along the path we walk in life. Jesus is with us. Jesus comforts us and keeps us safe.
So when the storms of life come raging on fix your eyes on Jesus. He will rescue you. He will give your soul rest even in the midst of the storm. Jesus showed us this was possible. We find our rest in Him. Through Jesus your soul can rest despite your circumstance! In the face of trials you can have peace! Take the hand of your loving Father as He leads you beside still waters today and breathe in deep as the God breathes peace over you today. Exhale as the peace of God washes over you now. You are loved by God friend… so, so much.
This Week’s Challenge: Daily allow the Father to lead you beside streams of living water refreshing your tired and weary soul. Close your eyes and pray over yourself right now. Pray this prayer from Psalm 23 over yourself each day as you fix your eyes on Jesus.
I love you,
