Ramona Davis

Encouragement Café

January 11, 2012

My husband and I love to take our little boat out into the Bogue Inlet Bay waters around Swansboro, North Carolina. There are so many beautiful little islands inhabited only by birds, just waiting to be explored.

We also enjoy throwing a hook or two into the emerald blue water. The sea is usually clear and calm.  However, when the wind kicks up and the tide flows, these calm waters can grow choppy.

When fishing in rolling swells, you’d better keep your eyes on something in the distance. To focus on the edge of the boat and each surge in the water is asking for a wave of nausea or worse.

When I focus on my circumstances, problems and concerns, they tower over me, making it difficult to see the big picture. I become so focused on my difficult situation that I lose my view of how big God is. Doubt and fear threaten to seep into my heart and drown my faith. Praise and grateful words are replaced with grumbling and complaining.

When this happens, it’s time to adjust my focus and lift my eyes. Maybe your focus needs an adjustment, too. Here are some things I do – I hope this list helps you, too.

• List my concerns one by one and offer the list to my Heavenly Father and leave my anxious thoughts in His Hands.

• Ask for a grateful heart.

• Read a Psalm each day during my quiet time.

• Meditate on a specific attribute of God and write a prayer of thanksgiving.

• Search for scriptures that praise Him. Write one on an index card and place it in my pocket to read over and over as an exclamation of praise.

• Take a slow walk and enjoy nature. Thank Him for everything that captures my attention.

• Put away my prayer request list and cease asking for one day (or more). Praise Him and thank Him from sunrise to sunset.

When I focus on God’s faithfulness and goodness even in the face of adversity, I can stop telling God how big my problems are and start telling my problems how big my God is.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psalm 113:3 (NIV)

Prayer

Lord, I know You see me and the circumstances surrounding my life. Lord, help me lift my chin, turn my eyes to You and praise You. You are worthy of all praise. Amen

© Ramona Davis

Encouragement Café