On Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

by Henry Knapp


It is a truism that in a crisis our true self is revealed. Adversity does not so much form our character as it does expose it. An impatient man will appear a saint if there is nothing to be impatient about. Any woman can seem kind and loving when surrounded by friends and family, but a true measure of her attitude is taken when she is exposed to the needy and annoying. It is at periods of stress that an angry heart will show itself for what it is. Difficult times reveal who we really are.

If this is true anywhere, it is true of our faith. It is easy to sing to the Lord, to think kindly of Him, to celebrate our salvation when things are going smoothly. When life is cruising nicely along, all is well. It is easy to trust in Jesus when there is little temptation not to. But, what happens when things are chaotic? What happens when it all dries up? What happens when joy is a distant memory and our hopes and dreams collapse? A measure of our faith, our trust in Jesus, and our confidence in His promises is how we respond, when things aren’t  good.

Many Christians today are struggling exactly with this—what our faith teaches (that God is good, all the time!) is woefully absent in our thoughts, actions and attitudes. We have entered into an unprecedented time—a time filled with fear, anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, and dismay. There is no guarantee, no assurance that we or the ones we love won’t contract COVID-19. Our faith will not protect us from the devastation of this broken world. Our trust and dependence upon Jesus enables us to live with confidence that God is in control; that He is good, loving, and His glory reigns.

But how do we appropriate this faith? How do we lean into it?

The author of Hebrews calls us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). The Apostle Paul says that we are to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). Jesus warns us to be careful where our hearts are directed (Matthew 6:21), and of what we hear (Mark 4:23). Imagine being turned toward the Lord at every minute of your day, constantly seeing everything through His lens, hearing His voice first and foremost, shaping your desires around His. Imagine being so focused on Him that everything else makes sense only in His presence. Imagine orienting your life so completely around Him that your eyes, your ears, your mind, and your heart are given totally to Him. The crisis remains… but, our soul is quieted and our response is determined by Him.

Now, what if that is not you? What if the current crisis has found you wanting. What if in the midst of difficulty you discover that you do not rely on Him as you know you should?

The Scriptures are clear. They stand as solid encouragement to fix our eyes on Jesus; to set our minds on things above; to place our hearts in His hands. And, if we fail? “Repent and believe the good news!” Christ, your Savior, is there, with all the grace and mercy to forgive us, strengthen us, encourage us… to give us another opportunity to lean into Him.

As COVID-19 roars, we answer back, as Micah did—“As for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; for my God will hear me!” (Micah 7:7).
To God be the Glory!