Turning My Eyes

During the past six months,  God has asked me the same question over and over again.

"Sue, what are you focusing on?"  

Every time He asks me this question, it is because the answer has been not Him.

Whenever I feel myself getting anxious, fearful, frustrated, angry, confused, stressed or insecure, the source can always be traced back to my focus being misplaced.

Often times my focus has been on my circumstances or myself.  Both of these are cause for doubt and unbelief to fester like an ugly bacteria tainting my vision from seeing the Truth of what God says about both my circumstances and me.

This week, in Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies with Melissa Taylor, we have been reading Chapter 5 "A Confident Heart" by Renee Swope.  The following echoed loudly to me as I read it (it is starred about 10 times and underlined!)

"When we focus on our insecurities we cast a shadow of doubt in our minds by blocking the light of God's truth in our hearts. We were not created to block the light or be the light...

We find ourselves in the shadow of doubt many times because our thoughts are mostly about ourselves: how we're performing and what others are thinking about us....

It's just that when we focus our attention on ourselves, we turn our attention away from God.  We leave no room in our thoughts to listen to what He is thinking about us, because we have given that place away to be occupied by other people's opinions....

...Eyes off myself and turn them toward the Light."  pg. 86-87

Last week, I shared in "The Well is Deep", a breakthrough I had regarding the root of something I struggled with for more than thirty years of my life--fear of rejection.  If something has had thirty years to root, you can bet the root is deep and strong.

However, Jesus is stronger.

In that post, I shared how God had revealed the lies at the root of the fear of rejection for me.  Identifying the lies was HUGE.  When we know the specific lies we are believing, we can then look for specific Truth to replace those lies.

This week, I looked up scriptures to counteract those lies.  The lies I believed could be summed up as:

“You are not worthy of love.  What you have to say isn't important.  You are not accepted.  You are not approved of.  You are unloved.”

I believed the rejection I perceived or experienced was my fault.  That was a lie. It had nothing to do with me.  

Thinking it was "about me" is actually a major part of the root of insecurity.  As I stated above, when my eyes are on me, they are not on Jesus.  I need to recognize that when I am thinking about myself or what others think of me too much, it is an indicator that my focus is way off target. 

Whenever I start to feel insecure or rejected, I need to remember to turn my focus to the Light and off myself.  

These are the verses I have found so far that will help to replace the lies with the Truth of God's Word: 

When I start to feel unloved, I will remember: 

"The Lord my God is in [my] midst, the mighty One will save; He [rejoices] over [me] with gladness, He [quiets] me with His love, He [rejoices] over [me] with singing." (Zeph 3:17)

When I start to feel rejected, I will remember:

 "[I] am a chosen [woman], a royal priest, a holy daughter, God's special possession, that [I] may declare the praises of Him who called [me] out of the darkness in to His wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9)

When I doubt that what I have to say is important, I will remember: 

"The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.  He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned." (Isaiah 50:4) 

When I question that I am accepted in relationships, I will remember:  

"He chose [me] in Him before the foundation of the world, that [I] should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined [me] to adoption as a [daughter] by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will to praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:46)

I actually have more verses that I have in my ammunition pile to shoot down the lies lodged in those roots.  I plan on doing some major target practice shooting up those roots and annihilating the lies!  

Here are some other power verses:  

"Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away! O my dove, in the clefts of the rock.  In the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face.  Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely." Songs 2:13-14

"For this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you--for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye.'" Zech 2:8

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine."  Is 43:1

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for [me], who can be against [me]? Romans 8: 31

It is time to turn my eyes off myself and onto the Light of Truth.  It is time to quiet the critical voices that beg my attention and listen only to the Truth of God's Word and what He says about me.   It is only when I keep my eyes on the Light and my ears on His Truth that I can be sure to stay out of the shadow of doubt and insecurity.

Father, thank You for Your truth.  Thank You that You are for us.  Thank You that Your love is unfailing and everlasting.  Father, forgive me for doubting.  Forgive me for being stuck in the muck of caring what others think of me and if they approve of me.  Help me to focus only on You and what You think of me.  I pray for Your voice of approval to ring so loudly that it hushes the voices of criticism and condemnation.  Let Your Truth echo in my heart and destroy the lies of doubt and insecurity.  I love you Lord.  I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.