Look Away From Your Troubles!

As we rode into town the other night there were 4 large deer crossing up ahead. It was hard to make out the animals except that their eyes were brightly shining in our headlights. They had stopped in the middle of the road staring straight our way. You could say they had that “deer caught in the headlights” look. As we got closer they picked up their pace and trotted into a friend’s yard. If they’d not gotten their eyes off of us, we’d have run over them. If they had panicked in confusion and run back into the highway it would have been a disaster. But they looked away from us and found refuge in the trees off the road.

I’ve had that look before. I’ve been stopped dead in my tracks and been caught so off guard by circumstances I was not expecting. Sad to say we can be totally mesmerized by problems, illness, heartbreak, anger, resentment, fear and more. We become frozen in time and blinded by it all. If we’re not careful we’ll be run over by the incident that was merely a passing situation. But because we were caught in the blinding light it can cause us to become victims.

Maybe you’ve got that look right now. There are so many things that can cause us to slip into depression, despair and pain. You’ve gotten a bad report and that’s all you can focus on. You’ve heard sorrowful news about someone you love and you’re done in. You think God has left you, people have left you and love has left, so you just want to lower your head and let life run you in the ground. I know it’s hard, I know it’s almost unbearable. I also know the Lord. And His promises are higher than your lowest moment, brighter than the darkest hour and safer than the oncoming troubles.

Oh beloved, Look away! Look away from the troubles that have you caught square in their path. Look instead to the Lord! That’s His hand motioning you to come to Him. That’s His Spirit that is wooing you to listen. That is His safety that is calling you to forget what you’ve been staring at and look into His Wonderful Face! He will either take you out of the situation altogether or stand in the gap for you through it all.  He can be trusted! He can be believed! He is more than a Savior, He’s your friend! Because He loves you like no other, He can be trusted more than circumstances, people, places or things! Hallelujah! What a Lord!

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Psalm 123:2 We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.

Psalm 18:30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.

Psalm 34:19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Micah 7:7 As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me