The visual coverage of a horse is approximately 340o. There is only a small section behind its head where it cannot see. In literal terms, a horse facing forward can see almost everything happening behind it. That is why racehorses must wear blinkers or blinders. Without these accessories, they will be distracted by so many things in their line of sight and easily go in a different direction. They are not capable of focusing on the racetrack without these blinkers. The brain of the horse is wired so that whatever it does not see does not exist and whatever it does not hear cannot constitute a distraction. If a horse is restricted to seeing only what is ahead, it is constrained to running only in that direction by what it sees. Apart from helping them to stay focused, the blinkers also help to protect them from being spooked by anything that suddenly comes into their visual range.
Like the horses, we need to choose the object of our focus carefully to enjoy our relationship with God and get the best of His promises for us. We need to deliberately choose what to keep looking at amid the chaos. Life is configured to throw different shades of distractions at us. How we react to those distractions will determine how and where we end up. Our reaction depends largely on what we are looking at and the filter through which we judge the circumstances. Most times, those distractions come to test our resolve to hold on to the word of God concerning different things in our lives. The suffering and difficult situations we experience may be great, but God sees us and is constant through it all. The circumstances do not diminish His power and ability.
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. Isaiah 26:3[AMP]
If we can keep our eyes on the Word in the face of all distractions, there is no limit to what we can accomplish through Christ. When God sent fiery serpents among the Israelites as a punishment for their sins, they cried to God in repentance, and He directed Moses to make a bronze serpent and hang it on a pole for them. If anyone was bitten by a serpent and the person fixed their gaze on the serpent, they would live. The fact that Moses hung that serpent up did not mean that the snakes were no longer there. Instead, the people were meant to take their eyes off the snakes that were attacking them and keep looking at the bronze serpent that was in front of them. If they could keep their focus on the bronze serpent, the presence of the snakes around them had nothing on them. It was all about the object of their focus.
On another occasion, Peter and the disciples were in the boat, being buffeted by the wind and the waves. Jesus showed up walking on water and Peter had enough faith to join him.
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. Matthew 14:24 [NLT]
When Peter left the boat and went on a gravity-defying trip by walking on the water, the storm was still the same. When he started sinking in obedience to gravity, the storm was still the same. What changed? His focus. He moved his focus from Jesus and His promise to the storm and then rational thinking took over. The object of the focus changed.
Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable]. Psalm 119:89 [AMP]
The word of God and the promises contained therein do not change based on our circumstances. The ability of God to be a provider does not depend on economic indices. The power of God to save, heal, deliver, and bless does not vary with what is happening around us. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The only thing that could change is the object of our focus. If we are able to keep our eyes off the serpents and the multifaceted storms coming at us from different angles and keep our eyes on the faithful God, we will see the salvation of our God.
Regularly praying for ourselves like Paul prayed for the Ephesians will help us trust God more and enable us to keep our eyes on Him through the wind, waves, and storms.
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power. Ephesians 1:19 [NLT]
The object of our focus should always be God and His Word. He will guide and direct us on what to do to come out of the situation as more than conquerors. He is always faithful.
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