“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3 

 

It's time to quit looking around! 

 

Okay, that “mandate” isn't for everything in life, but it does have a place. 

Years ago, there was a guy that we kiddingly (and lovingly) called “Scenario Man.” He would come up with these sensational scenarios for everything. We found ourselves trying to make decisions based on his scenarios which ran the gambit from impossible to plausible, with about 10 steps in between. The funny thing was that the “most likely” scenario wasn't often considered. 

Life can be like that, too. There are so many things that can influence our decisions, so many that can confuse and convolute the situation. The more convoluted things get, the more angst we feel. And more often than not, the “right scenario” is overshadowed by the sensational ones. It would be a lot less stressful if there was only one choice that could be made, only one thing calling for our attention. 

Even without all the modern-day distractions that we have, Isaiah recognized that life gets chaotic. He understood that that chaos could steal our peace, but he also realized that there was a solution... Set your mind's eye on God and don't let Him out of your sight! Don't let the enemy use your spiritual peripheral vision to distract you. 

How often have you seen a movie in which someone is in extreme danger and terrified to the point of immobility? Usually the solution is for them to focus on a person they trust and move toward them. The result is that they are calmed to the point of being able to move forward to safety. 

The author of Hebrews tells us that the best way to run this race called life is to fix our eyes on Jesus and throw off all the things that hinder us and entangle us. I think that's what Isaiah is telling us, too—fix your eyes on the One you trust, and go for it! 

With the world's mentality of appeasing everyone and compromising about everything, it's very easy to get lost in the scenarios of life. Here's a stress reliever for you! There really is only one scenario to consider in all situations—the scenario of setting our sights on God and continuing to walk towards Him. That’s the scenario that as Isaiah said will “keep us in perfect peace.”

Reminder: Peace comes through fully trusting and following God's leading.