Chronicles of a Journeyman

It’s hard to miss – the goodness and kindness of God surrounding us amidst our everyday lives, in sorrow and in joy, through struggles and through triumphs. His love shines through every circumstance if only we choose to pay attention. He seeks to make us trophies of His grace – proof of His power at work in earthen vessels, His glory revealed despite the feebleness of our frame.

We can still miss it though. And this is what the Adversary seeks to achieve: the turning of our attention away from God’s love and power and wisdom towards our pain and weakness and confusion. His goal is to convince us of our utter hopelessness in pursuing God’s best. He then seeks to turn our focus inward instead of upward, leading to self-dependence which robs us of God’s utmost and leaves us grasping for an earthly, ephemeral vision.

But God’s vision is heavenly and eternal. His power and love are infinite, and His wisdom is beyond our understanding. His goal is to wean us off our dependencies on our human senses and lead us into a life of conviction about the reality of His unwavering love and presence at all times. What we see and hear are often distractions. What we don’t see, hear, and feel are more real and significant. It is on this unseen realm that our hope must be anchored.

What I’m saying in effect is that we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation, and on God’s throne, from where His love, grace, and power flows, keeping us in His eternal will no matter what happens to us. It is Christ who is our hope in life and death. Once our focus is on Him, we see His love and kindness in every situation, and His mercy and strength overshadows every weakness and failing. Hope is revived in our hearts daily, and we march on confidently in pursuit of God’s unfailing purpose for our lives no matter what happens. 

Our goal is God, and Christ is the way to that goal.