The original article is available at LivingRelations.com.
It can be easy to get overwhelmed with the responsibilities of life and work. Sometimes the last person we want to go to is Jesus because we feel like He can’t change our mood or make us feel better. The truth is only Jesus can give us the peace that will set us free from our burdens. Refocus on Jesus.
I had finished a busy week filled with work and back to back calls. It was finally Friday and though I wasn’t finished with all I had to do, I was ready to just relax.
I hadn’t spent time with Jesus that day because I had a side job to do in the morning. By the time work was done I was just ready to spend time with my husband. At the time my husband reminded me to spend time with Jesus, but I kept running away from it.
I thought to myself, “Jesus can wait. I don’t need Him right now.”
But even after spending time with my husband, I still felt exhausted and anxious. What I failed to realize was that as I pushed Jesus further away, I became filled with more anxiousness.
I finally went into my alone time with Jesus and within 15 minutes Jesus changed my attitude completely. An hour passed by and all my anxiety and burdens were lifted.
He had asked me, “Why are you worried about many things? There’s only one important thing and that is me.” When He said that it reminded me of what He said to Martha in Luke 10:41-42, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
God reminded me that there’s only one important thing in life and that is sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him.
We can do a million other things, but if we neglect to sit at the feet of Jesus and spend time with Him, we have missed the mark. We will be oppressed by the worries of the world and the things we put above Him.
I realized that I was putting many things above Jesus. I was putting work above Jesus, hence why I was feeling oppressed by work.
Anything put above Jesus oppresses us, but everything put below Jesus’s feet frees us.
If we put worry above Jesus, we will be oppressed by worry. If we put money or our families above Jesus, they too will oppress us. Only Jesus sets us free. John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
My husband is amazing, but even he couldn’t give me the peace that only Jesus can give. Jesus will give us peace like no other. He says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
How many times have we said to ourselves, “Jesus can wait?” The truth is we can’t afford to make Jesus wait. We need Him.
Let us focus our attention back to Him and not our to-do lists or goals that need to happen. Our peace gets robbed when our eyes are off Jesus. The enemy will try to distract us by depositing worrying thoughts or making us focus on what needs to get done. In such moments, look to Jesus and His beauty. Trust that He is in control and will guide us and bring favor to get what needs to be done.
Have you been worrying about many things? Has Jesus been the first person you go to when you are in distress?
No circumstance is too great for Jesus. We may feel that people can make us feel better, but the only person who can truly help us is Jesus. Run to Him first. He knows exactly what you need and His presence brings joy like no other. Focus your gaze on Him and you will not be shaken no matter what happens around you. Let your heart be set on one thing which is to be in the presence of God and to fix your eyes on His beauty.
David writes in Psalm 27:3-4, “…though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”
When your confidence is in God, you will always stay confident. You will always have peace when your eyes are fixed on Him. So remember, refocus on Jesus.
