Manna for Your Morning

But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. — Genesis 45:5 (NKJV) Perspective, “ how ” we choose to look at a situation is so important. Joseph could have looked at his brothers selling him into slavery as a betrayal and an attempt to destroy him. This perspective would have led to bitterness and unforgiveness. Instead, Joseph recognized that God used the events in his life to put him in the right position, to serve as a life preserver for His people. So don’t look at the troubles you can see now; rather, fix your gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things which are seen are temporary. (2 Corinthians 4:18). They will come to pass. However, when we fix our eyes on our mighty God, and His faithfulness and trust Him day by day, we will maintain a proper perspective. And He will get us in the right place at the right time, regardless of the circumstances that come and go.

“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. — Matthew 14:29-30 (NLT) God can work miracles in our lives as long as we keep our eyes on Him. When we look at the external circumstances and conditions around us, fear grips us and we begin to sink. As you get out of your boat and walk toward Jesus, remember to keep your eyes on Him. He is our fortress, our life preserver, and the calm in the middle of any storm.

HELP! Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. — Psalm 55:1-2 (NLT) In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT), the Apostle Paul wrote, we were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God. In all of life’s challenges, may we learn to rely only on God. When we feel like we are about to drown in the sea of affliction, God is our life preserver. He will keep us afloat while He draws us into His safe haven. We can’t handle all that comes our way on our own, but praise God, we don’t have to.

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. — 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT) Avoid shipwreck! Keep your conscience clear and tightly hold on to your faith in Christ. He is our Life Preserver. Don't be moved by the winds of adversity nor tossed to and fro by violent waves. If we keep the faith and remember that we have the victory in Jesus, we can weather any storm and keep sailing on course, to our desired destination.