Bruce and I were standing in front of a photograph, and I was squinting. “I don’t see it.  I am terrible at these things,” I grumbled.  My husband chucked and encouraged me to take two steps back and then shift my gaze a little to one brilliant spot on the right side of the photo.

Suddenly, I saw it. There behind all the blur of color and light was a clear portrait of Christ standing with arms outstretched reaching toward me.

He was there the whole time. I had just failed to focus on Him.

Oh, how I long to see Jesus! But, I am so distracted by all the things on the surface that I totally miss HIs hand clearly evident in the midst of it all.

I just need to take a step back and ask the Holy Spirit to help me shift my gaze and see His glory shining through.

Lord, open my eyes. I want to see You.

Maybe like me, you are struggling to see the Lord at work in a visible way in your current circumstances. Everything seems chaotic, and you are wondering why God has allowed certain things to take place.

Friend, sometimes we just need to take a step back and ask God to help us see.

Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. (Matthew 6:6, MSG)

Let’s set aside time this week to be still and settle our hearts. We can ask God to remind us He is faithful, and He will never fail us.  May He remove the veil of doubt from our eyes and give us fresh eyes of faith to see His majesty revealed even in our mess.

To help you get started, I’ve created a one-page printable to help you meditate on the faithfulness of your God and fire up your faith. Grab a copy and spend the next 7 days focusing on how your God is able to help see you through anything. Every morning, you can sit at His feet and strengthen your walk as you remind yourself your unchanging God is in control. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and  grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.

Adjusting our point of view ever so slightly will fill us with fresh determination and transform our destiny. As we look to the Lord, doubt loses it power, and we move forward with renewed  hope and purpose. Our faith will testify that our God is forever faithful and true.

As we shift our perspective, we start sensing His grace.

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Let’s Chat: Do you struggle to shift your perspective when you are in a season of suffering?

Shifting Our Focus to See the Presence of God

“If we want to see God in the midst of our struggles, we have to change the way we look for him.

There is no denying that miracles, answers to prayer, and abundant blessings testify to God’s presence. When the desires of our hearts are filled, it’s easy to see him. But what about the seasons when he seems invisible? Scripture tells us God never sleeps, but it is easy to feel like he is not attuned to our needs. Shift explores the life-changing truth that when we adjust our lens to focus our eyes on God rather than on what we wish we were seeing in our lives, he reveals himself to us. In fact, those moments when he seems invisible to us are often when others see him the most in us.

When Jesus walked the earth, he looked to God for his earthly needs. Jesus had a deep relationship with the Father that fueled his mission, his purpose, and his effectiveness. Scripture tells us that we can have that too. But there is a shift that needs to take place in our hearts and minds. No matter our circumstances, we can see God in our lives—right here, right now.”

God knew I needed to read Abby’s book! I loved the wisdom she shared, and it was my joy to give her my endorsement:

Abby comes alongside her reader like a safe friend inviting you to step out of the fog and see the road in front of you with new eyes. Her vulnerable stories reminded me God has not forgotten my heartache, and He is whispering grace over me even when my spiritual sight is limited. Shift will uplift your perspective on the hard seasons and help you move forward with renewed hope.

Grab your copy of Shift by Abby McDonald here.

A Message from Abby:

“I wrote this book for the person who wants to see God in her situation, but has hit a wall. Whether it’s because of unanswered prayers, a deferred dream, or a loss of hope, she feels like God is absent. Or if he’s there, he’s definitely not showing up the way she’d hoped. I know what it feels like to wonder why God would clearly call you to take a step of faith, only to face endless roadblocks, detours and distractions. Many nights I’ve wondered, ‘Was that really you, God? Did I hear you at all?’”

Meet Abby:

Abby McDonald is a writer, speaker, wife and mom whose work has been featured on Proverbs 31 Ministries, (in)Courage, For Every Mom, and more. Her passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of South Carolina, and loves to teach about writing at conferences each year. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland. You can connect with her at abbymcdonald.org.

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