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It was dark thirty in the morning; I was looking at dimly lit street lights leading to an unfamiliar destination. Anxiously sipping from a cup of biting java, I waited for the traffic light gods to release me from the red light. While waiting, I focused on the GPS, scrolling to my next left and right, hoping I could get ahead of the map and break my boredom. The light turns, catching me unaware as life would have it, from red to green. I slowly drove forward, looking for my direct location. I lost it while trying to get ahead of the map. Now, I was off-center and forced to pull over to re-center.

Let me ask you; Where do your heart and mind go when faced with difficult situations? Where are you spiritually and mentally when you begin worrying about finances, health, or other issues?

Later, the Lord showed me my folly in trying to get ahead of the map or plan for my life, forgetting about Him. I was turning my walk with Him into a burdensome task-driven life.

Don’t we all do this when things get tough, when we’re bored, or when we see others moving ahead in life?

Here’s what I learned.

The morning I looked for my location on the GPS, I saw a bold, lettered icon that was yelling at me, reading “RE-CENTER.” All I had to do was touch the icon, which would take me back to my location on the GPS.

When thinking of that moment, Holy Spirit made it clear that I need to re-center myself on Jesus daily and throughout my day in any given situation.

Hey! What a novel idea.

If you regularly get off-centered throughout your day, don’t beat yourself up. It’s part of the believer's life. The enemy of our soul is purposed to do what he can to keep our hearts and minds off of Jesus. He wants to weaken our faith, so we live a life of worry and fear. The good news is the word of God gives us strategies to re-center ourselves back onto Jesus.

Strategy 1

The author of Hebrews writes, 'Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ' Hebrews 12:28 ESV

Let’s focus on “...be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken…”.

As followers of Christ, we have access to a mighty kingdom. And in this kingdom, we all have a position to hold and a duty to fulfill. ( Ephesians 2:10) If we can deeply believe this truth, we can stop losing a battle that has already been won.

When having a deep-seated belief Jesus has already overcome the world, we can live life confidently with perseverance and endurance until our time is up on this earth.

Remember, the kingdom of God cannot be shaken.

Strategy 2

The Apostle Paul says: “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal”.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

Paul is saying to have a view of the spirit world. The spirit world is eternal.

Changing our perspective to the unseen eternal things help us to get our focus back onto Jesus and His view of our life in the world. As time drew close to His crucifixion, I believe Jesus used His ability to see the eternal perspective of the work of the crucifixion. He had difficulty with the thought of crucifixion, as anyone would, but Hebrews 12says, He saw the eternal value through the power of the Holy Spirit and endured the cross.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV '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. '

If we learn to look at the unseen eternal realm, it can be powerful in our life to stay centered with Jesus and persevere in life with great hope.

Strategy 3

'I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. '

Psalm 71:22-23ESV

Giving the Lord praise is a wonderful approach to life in difficult times. Remembering the Lord’s salvation and redemption and singing to Him about it is a refreshment for your soul. It also reminds us that God came through for us against all natural odds to rescue our souls. Praising God shakes up the victim mentality we may hold under challenging situations and redirects our thoughts onto Jesus.

I encourage you to keep the faith and practice these strategies in difficult times to stay centered on Jesus and fulfill the call in your life.

'So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.' 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

Andy

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