What brings you hope? What gives you peace? Where do you turn when your situation feels out  of control or your heart feels anxious?  

By now 2021 is in full swing, and after what felt like a write-off year in 2020, many look to a  new year for renewal, expectation, and hope for a bright future. In some ways it’s almost  laughable that we started off 2020 talking about having “2020 Vision” for our goals and dreams  of the new decade. In reality, the year looked quite blurry as Covid became a global pandemic,  obscured our view, and changed our plans and realities. And not only has Covid obscured our  view, but many injustices in the world, protests, degradation of humanity, corruption, and hatred  of fellow man have topped the newscasts, leaving us feeling uncertain as we view the global  stage. If we are only looking at the world with a horizontal lens, we are likely to find ourselves  feeling fearful, anxious, and disturbed.  

And so where shall we cast our eyes? Can we dare to look vertically when so much is going on  around us horizontally?  

We must! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reminds us “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 and 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.”  

In times that are shaky, what shall we invest in that is firm and lasting and rock solid? Where  does our vertical lens cast its eye? To God. Jesus Christ. The Bible. The power of prayer.  Fellowship with God’s people. The beauty of the Good News of Christ. The purposeful  investment in eternal treasures which do not spoil or fade.  

Let’s be sure we take the time to peel our eyes from the screens filled with news flashes and  Covid updates. Let’s pull our anxious hearts away from all the what-if’s. Let’s harness our run away minds and steer them towards TRUTH. Let’s marinate our souls in that which is eternal  and unshakable.  

So dear one, if you find your heart out of sorts, throw yourself upon the Creator of the universe,  the One who made you and knows you, the One who holds all things in the palm of His hand.  God is not on lockdown. God is not surprised or caught off guard by your circumstances! He  isn’t nervously fretting as He observes the unfolding of global affairs. He knows it all, and He’s  sovereign over it all. In Him, there is perfect rest. Seek Him and saturate yourself in His truth.  Fill your mind with His peace that is beyond understanding. Look to the author and finisher of  your faith to do above and beyond all that you can ask or imagine!.  

Nourish your heart in the sweetness of His Word today. He knows your every weakness, and He  even uses those weaknesses to show Himself strong: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Rest dear one, for He will give you the exact  grace you need for this moment.