Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)

Taking Communion became one of the kisses from God.

When my husband, Bill got sick, communion became an everyday thing for me. I would take the juice and the bread, remembering all that Jesus did for me. I would hold on to the promise of healing given to me through His death and resurrection. And, along with this tradition of taking Communion and applying our healing, there came over me a great peace and assurance.

He was taking care of us, of me. He had already taken care of everything I needed Him to on the cross. I could rest in Him. I knew that if I kept my peace, there would be victory at every turn, in every decision. Whenever I took Communion, and sometimes it was three times a day, it would help me stay focused on Him. His promises would steady my heart.

When I was much younger, I dealt with crippling self-pity. It used to envelop me and drag me down into a deep depression. At 18 years old, I remember crying out to the Lord. I didn’t know how to handle the depth of what I was feeling. I knew it wasn’t from God, but I didn’t know how to live carrying that kind of heaviness. One day, while in the bathroom, I prayed a desperate prayer to God: “If You don’t do something to help me, I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.” Instantly, as I walked out of the bathroom, I was delivered from that spirit. It disappeared and has never returned.

Even though I have been free from self-pity for over 40 years, I dealt with it for so long that I still know what those thoughts feel like. Throughout this health journey, there were times when I could hear self-pity knocking on the doors of my mind. It’s a horrible feeling, and I had committed years ago never to fall into it again.

I had to consciously choose not to agree with that spirit and instead focus on the Lord. Communion was an anchor for me. Whenever I was feeling fear or self-pity trying to creep in, my focus had to stay on Jesus. When we take Communion, we are aligning ourselves with God. He suffered in the most extreme ways in order to bring us life and freedom. There’s not really room for self-pity when you’re focused on that reality.

Prayer:

There is no problem I’m facing today that has surprised You, Father. There is no challenge in my life for which You are not already prepared to offer the perfect solution.

I take Your body, fully dependent on You, my Savior.

I take Your blood, choosing to focus only on You.

You are my anchor in every storm, Lord. You are never caught off guard, overwhelmed, or annoyed by the issues I face. You have come to bring abundance and freedom into every area of my life!