FOCUSING ON OBSTACLES DISTORTS YOUR VISION

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”—2 Corinthians 4:18

 

The Lord gave the Israelites a commission to go in and possess the land of Canaan.  The people needed a separate place in which to thrive as a God-centered nation.   And He chose an exceptionally good country for their development.

So at the Lord’s direction, Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land.  Ten of them returned with frightening negative stories.   All that these spies could see were the obstacles to taking ownership (Numbers 13:25-14:10).

However, Caleb was certain that they would “surely overcome” (Numbers. 13:30), because he was focused on God’s promises rather than the obvious difficulties.   He based his confidence on God’s words to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis. 12:7).

The people did not share Caleb’s faith—tales of giants and fortified cities scared them. Ordinarily, those would have been obstacles worth fearing.  But the Israelites served a God who had proven that He could overcome anything:  He had parted the Red Sea to facilitate their escape from Pharaoh.  And He fed them for two years in the desert.

Focusing on obstacles distorts our vision.  Problems seem to loom so large that we can not see to take the next step in faith.  In reality, if God has called us to do something, the only hindrance is our mind—our way of thinking, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

. God has already planned a way around, over, or through any barriers that might lie on the path to fulfilling His purpose.

 

In 2 Kings Chapter 6, we see that the King of Syria was at war against Israel.  However, the Syrian army could not trap Israel because by the word of knowledge God let Elisha know where the Syrian were encamped, thus Israel escaped from them.  The King of Syria found out who was letting the King know their whereabouts, so the King of Syria sent out his army to look for Elisha and they found him in the city of Dothan.  When Elisha’s servant got up early the next morning, he saw that the army had surrounded the city with horses and chariots and he asked Elisha what they were going to do.  Elisha responded to his servant: “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (verse 16).   Elisha prayed and God opened the eyes of the servant and he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.   When the Syrians came down to Elisha, he prayed that their eyes would be struck with blindness.  He went on to lead them to Samaria where he prayed and asked the Lord to open their eyes.  After seeking the counsel of Elisha, the King of Israel did not kill the Syrians, instead he prepared a great feast for them and sent them back to their king, and as a result the Syrians did not raid Israel anymore.  Do not focus your vision on the obstacles that you see around you,  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 

Today you may have a problem or difficulty that you cannot see your way around or through, ask the Lord to refocus your vision.  Ask Him to help you see the answer and not the problem.  Ask Him to give you strategies for moving forward.  He is faithful who has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.  You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.

Prayer—Father I bring my problem of ________________before You today.  I ask You to forgive me for trying to fix it in my own strength and not in Yours.  I ask You to refocus my vision so that I can see Your solution to the problem, in Jesus Name. Amen.