In this post, I first want to give thanks to the LORD who has been faithful in all HIS WAYS. I would not be here if it weren’t for His lovingkindness and His mercies. I failed many times, filled with troubles, but He has upheld me by His righteous right hand. He has become my refuge, to whom I run for shelter, strength, and comfort. He has never left my side because that is the promise He made to me, literally. So I thank and give Him praise and to HIM alone be the glory. 

So this post will be about, from my testimony, how to focus on the LORD, especially in times of trouble and situations that may be out of your hands. It could be from people or just situations that came out of nowhere. And the devil is, as people say, always at work. 

No matter what, the WORD tells us to set our eyes on the things above and not below (Colossians 3:2). THE WORD says to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, the author, and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Another verse I want to mention is that may the peace of GOD that transcends all understanding will guard our minds and our hearts in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). 

So the bible has many verses emphasizing trusting the LORD GOD because that’s essential. Those are critical things for our Christian walk! 

If we turn our eyes away from Him, we get distracted, which is what the devil wants. He wants us to be distracted and turn away from GOD, but I say nay! You should say nay as well. 

Nay I say! NAY! And YEA to the LORD Jesus Christ!

For we shall overcome this life by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). 

Thus, how do we focus on the LORD? How can we live our life for GOD as putting Him first in our life? Here are three essential ways to do that. 

Now I do want to say, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you into all truth. He knows you better than you know yourself, so He will help you in your weakness and reveal to you what you need to know about how to handle situations. 

Renew Your Mind – Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world , but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what GOD’s will is-His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

To trust in the LORD Jesus means to renew your mind. To help you see that He is the only One that can help you. He can guide you to the people that will help you in your situation, but you need to look to Him for that first. The bible says to not trust in man but to trust in GOD. 

So if you are trusting in man in any way, it is time for your repent and turn to GOD. Now as I said, GOD can place the right people in your life for your situation, but that does not mean that you entrust yourself to them. When you lean on GOD, trust Him fully and HE will tell you how to do and who to talk to. 

For example, there was a financial situation that seemed as if there was no way out. Of course, I trusted GOD, but knowing how the financial situation would get resolved, I had no clue. 

Feeling the fear creep in and even out of curiosity, some letters came into the mail that almost corresponded to what was needed to get out of the financial situation. 

However, based on the letter we received, we talked to the company, which we hoped would help us. But part of me didn’t feel like they were simultaneously. However, they were not the answer. Leaning on a man who could get us out of the situation rather than waiting on GOD was not wisdom. 

Thankfully, that door was closed, and by His mercies, GOD opened a door that helped set the financial situation at ease as He led us to talk to someone who would help us. GOD had a way to ease the financial situation. Waiting for instruction from the LORD was needed for that particular situation. 

Whatever your situation may be, may you renew your mind by leaning on Him first and waiting for His instruction to help you get out of your situation. 

Trust In The LORD – Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 56:3

Trusting in the LORD was something I found was hard before. I would say that now it is not hard per se, but I have to crucify my flesh and be reminded of His WORD in order for me to fully trust in His ways. Back then, I wanted to get things done my way, though in all sense, I did not have a way. But GOD reminded me of this scripture a long time ago, which at first hurt me in a weird way, finding out that a rebellion spirit wanted me to not lean on GOD. 

Psalm 37:5” Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done:” MSG. 

But I was impatient and was frustrated with HIM doing the work because I thought, in my finite mind, that it would take too long. I didn’t fully understand that GOD is a GOD whose ways are perfect and HE makes all things beautiful in His time. HE made the heavens and earth after all. But after I finally made Him LORD over my life, my way of thinking changed. My rebellion left and I focused on studying the WORD more for spiritually building rather than flesh building. 

In Proverbs 3:5-6, It says to trust GOD will ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. 

This is saying that GOD is the only one you should trust in your life and with your life. And it is important to have GOD in your life, it is important to have Jesus Christ in your life as well, since He is the way, the truth, and the life; the ONLY WAY to the FATHER. In all your ways acknowledge HIM, which means to pray to HIM, according to Philippians 4:6-7 and Psalm 62:8, because HE desires you to rest in HIM. 

In all that you do, acknowledge HIM, be aware of HIM, know that HE is everywhere, and not in a sense of a stalker (renew your mind in this if you think that this is a form of a stalker sense). What I mean is that GOD is omnipresent and omniscient, He is all knowing and He’s everywhere. His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth (2 Chronicles 16:9). 

So whatever you do, He knows you already. If you’ve read Psalm 139, you would know that He knows you more than you know yourself. He’s the One that guides your hand (v10).  So acknowledge that He is watching, but think of it as a sense of peace because whatever may be going on in your life, HE sees and knows it. Even if it is wrong, let HIM see it, and confess it before HIM, He will change your life around and position you to HIM because He will direct your path, the path everlasting, to true righteousness and holiness!

Psalm 56:3 also mentions that it is important to trust GOD, by faith, because it is impossible to please GOD without faith. Whenever you are afraid of something, or in a negative situation that has gotten you to worry or weary, TRUST in the LORD. FOCUS on HIM. LEAN on HIM. LEAN on the AUTHOR and PERFECTER of your FAITH. If your faith is weary, lean on Jesus Christ. 

Meditate on the Scriptures – Psalm 1:1-3

This is the most essential habit to build for all Christians. You know, when I read the bible, I thought it was boring and did not understand it. But now I see that it is more than just a book. The WORD is full of instructions, rebuking, correcting, and teaching but you need the Holy Spirit to help you see and understand the WORD in a different way, a new way that allows you to see the WORD alive and active in your life (Ephesians 1:17-19). The WORD even reveals your heart and the plans and purposes of GOD the human mind cannot.   

Did you know that the WORD is also Jesus Christ? You are actually reading the WORD! So you are meditating on HIM. 

So I mentioned that the WORD is essential, better yet, critical for every Christians, because it provides a promise and also leads you to know the ways of GOD so that you can walk in. 

Psalm 119:33-34 says “Teach me, LORD the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.” NIV

God desires us to know HIs ways because we were born to know His ways. We weren’t brought into this world for our own sake, but for HIM. Therefore, it is important to study and read the scriptures. 

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

And when you desire more of the WORD, that is work of the HOLY SPIRIT (Romans 8:9), drawing you near the WORD so that you abide in the WORD and live according to the WORD.

So these are the three essential ways to direct your focus on GOD. It is by renewing your mind, acknowledging HIM in all your ways; trusting in HIM because He is faithful in all HE does, and meditating on the scriptures that not only renews your mind and leads you to trust HIM, but also unveils who HE is as GOD, the ancient of days.