DAILY VITAMIN

- Look Up

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills from where comes my help.” (Psalm 121:1)

When things get tough, just look up. Not literally, but in your heart. David did that. He was looking up at the hills during battle, but while the enemy thought he was waiting for some ally forces his mind was set on God. And even when they were outnumbered, Israel won every time.

You might feel alone at times, thinking the world is against you. You assume that you can’t find help from around you but I’m here to tell you you’ve got help in God. Verse 2 says “My help comes from the LORD…” and He is willing to help.

The devil will always be there to discourage you, to tell you God can’t help you, but he’s lying. It’s all he is good at. God will help you. He says fear not I will help you (Isaiah 41:13). He won’t leave you alone. He will show Himself strong in your behalf. All you have to do is trust Him even when the odds seem not in your favour. These were the words of Asa (2 Chronicles 16:9), and he was speaking from a place of experience. In 2 Chronicles 15, it was revealed to him that God would be with him if he remained with God (v. 2). And at other times, He might seem far away, if we forsake Him. Forsake here doesn’t mean we stop acknowledging He exists, but that we stop seeing Him as our first point of contact in times of need. It means we start putting other things or people ahead of God. Seeing Him as secondary; and when this same Asa took to this practice he perished (2 Chronicles 16:12). But as long as the people kept God as their very present source of help in times of trouble, he remained a very present help in such times. 

Consider what was said at a time when Israel had every reason to doubt; a time when they had no priest to guide them: “…But when they in their trouble did Turn to the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found of them.” (2 Chronicles 15:3-4). In the same vein, I’m asking you to turn to the Lord now. Take your eyes off those places or people you think can only help, and turn your sight to God. Remember He has never casted away anyone who ever sought him (John 6:37). And all those who call upon Him He saves (Romans 10:13). But most importantly, recall that help don’t lie in places. Not in even places of power like Bethel, Gilgal or Beersheba, but in the LORD (Amos 5:4-6). Unlike what the enemy presumed, David wasn’t waiting for help from the hills, he was from God. And God did help him, same way I’m certain He’d help you. But first, look up.

Don’t Focus on the things you don’t have now, focus on the picture of whom God says you are. Focus on the things He can do without limit. Focus on His power and His desire for you as revealed in His Word, and then in that light begin to see things as He calls them. Find light in His light, knowing His plans for you to give you the best there is (Psalm 36:8-9). 

This isn’t the time to get offended, posting blames at God or the people around you. You don’t want to go down that hole. Believe me, I’ve been there and it’s nasty there. You’d find yourself hating everything, even God who only can help. And all the promises you once held dear then become reasons to self-loathe. Almost like what happened to John the Baptist after he got arrested. He began to lose faith, questioning what he was once so sure of. I have been there, so I know. It’s a terrible position to be. That's the script the enemy has written for you. He wanted you to fall and stay fallen in that darkness. But I say to you, look up. Look toward the light, look toward God and let Him pull you up, restore your faith, revive your spirit. 

So, don’t let yourself fall into that quick sand of doubt. Instead, look unto God. Like I said, this isn’t the time to self-deprecate, doubt or think you’ve been abandoned; no, this is the time to fully trust God and to fully commit yourself to believing that He’ll come through as promised. And even when the signs aren’t favouring you, look up to Him, still believing. Set your face like a flint, and keep it stayed on Him. When you do this, the storm arisen against you will crumble, and you’d be blessed with peace like a river, changing your life for the better (Isaiah 26:3).