Day 2 of 31: Her Eyes (Part 1 of 2)
Theme Scripture:
2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, and not by sight.”
Job 42:5 "I have heard You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You"
Memory Verse:
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Focus Verses:
Matthew 6:22-23, 33
Hebrews 11:1, 6-7
James 1:1-15 (2-8)
Job 42:5
Jeremiah 33:3
Isaiah 55:11
OUR PERCEPTION: In order to have Blind Faith, we must have the right perception and focus in life! In order to get the right perception, we need to get the right focus. That right focus is none other than Christ. Often times, we go in life believing the truth is what we are actually seeing in the natural, or the emotion that we are feeling at the time.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I get frustrated at the way things are going or looks like, I begin to doubt the love of God in my very own life. I begin to doubt His voice, or even what He has said is even true. Even though, every day He shows me in more than one way how much He really does LOVE me. Every day He draws my heart to consider reading His word, or even say a prayer just to refocus my thoughts on Him. Maybe even listen to a song, or call up a friend that I know will speak that very truth I need to hear. Can I be honest? When I don’t answer the call to spend time with Him, and instead continue to worry and fix my eyes on those worries and frustration that it only gets worst. BUT, those moments that I actually do answer the call to come into His presence, and fix my eyes by actually sharing with Him how I’m feeling, what I’m seeing is rough, and how much I really need Him, are the very moments I feel the closest to Him, the very moments I feel more loved and cherished than ever before. I leave renewed, refreshed, encouraged, strengthened…..and refocused! I am reminded how much I am a beloved daughter of His, that I am not forgotten. And that what I felt before hand was actually far from the truth! Today as you go through out your day, look for Christ. Look for the beauty in things! Those moments when you start to feel frustrated, rejected, confused, worried, unsure anything opposite of God’s peace, it’s because you are focused on the wrong things. You are fixing your eyes on what is seen before you, and not on WHO IS FOR YOU! Look for His hand in today! For when you do that, your perception in life changes! This is a continuous battle we have to fight in our everyday lives, because everything in life is fighting for our attention! Don’t let the business or demands of this life distract you and get you off course from your day today! Take sometime out and see what God not only has to say about your circumstances in life, but YOU His Daughter! He LOVES you and deems you special in His eyes!
Consider These Questions
- What is our primary focus to help shift us to the right perception in life?
- Describe a time you answered the call on your heart to spend time with Him and shared EVERYTHING with Him. How did it impact your vision/ perception? Your spirit? Your heart?
- When a situation arises, what is your first initial response?
- Read the story of Job. What was his perception or focus like? What can we learn from Job's story?
- Looking at Job 42:5 Job responds to the Lord how he has heard about God and etc, but now a revelation has been made. Now, he has been able to SEE God! See God for himself! EXPERIENCE GOD! In the chapters of 38-42 we see a conversation exchange between Job and the Lord. This is intimacy. In the midst of this conversation, God not only reveals Himself to Job, but Job's eyes are now shifted to the correct focus. Explain a time you and the Lord exchanged a conversation (intimacy) and the Lord not only revealed Himself and His true love for you, but it shifted your focus. How did it shift your focus? How did you feel after your focus was corrected?
- Read Job 42:5. Explain what this scripture speaks to you.
The Daughter: Her eyes are holy, and does not trust in everything that she sees. She understands that her eyes are the lamp to her soul. Her eyes glorifies God and with them she seeks and keeps her focus on His Son. She looks through the glasses of Christ as she takes His perspective over her own. She walks with the her heart full of confidence, assurance, and faith in her Father. She does not look at her circumstances, but instead looks to Him who sits on the throne in her heart. She has total trust and faith in Him. She is careful at what she calls to be reality or her truth. She seeks her Father in all the days of her life! At the moments she feels at her worst, she looks to her Father, who holds the answers in His hands. (Character Focus: The Woman at the Well, John 4:1-42 )
Social Media Activity: Post a picture of your hands over your eyes with the words "Christ" or "Faith" written across your palm to state that you are no longer being guided by sight, but you're focus is Christ, and walk by faith! Feel free to post the picture with an encouraging word or describing why you are doing it! Be sure to hashtag #thedaughter31 so we can ALL go and check it out!
The Challenge: When you face a hard trial today, or negative emotion or thinking, give it to Jesus in prayer, and answer the drawing in your heart. Set some time for just you and God today and complete the activity listed below. As you go through out your day today, try to keep your focus on Christ and looking for His beauty in ALL things! Try to seek and find His hand in every situation today, by simply asking “Where are You, Lord?” Or even saying, “Let my eyes see You” and etc.
Read Job 42:5 and Psalm 139 and explain what this speaks to you.
Write every negative thought or belief you have over yourself or situation in life. Describe a situation you're currently having a hard time trusting or believing God for, and why. What are some things you're feeling? Why does it look that way? How has this affected you or others around you? Now write that situation and feelings on a separate piece of paper.
Journal: write a letter to God about it all. Pour your heart out over the pages.
Now, take that separate piece of paper you wrote on and rip it up. Rip it up WHILE believing God to answer and throw those thoughts and emotions out. Throw the pieces into a trash can. This symbolizes that you have given those emotions, thoughts, and circumstances to God. This time it is out of your hands, and in the Father's hands! Trust that He knows what He is doing, and very capable of being God all by Himself. He has nothing but the best in mind for you!
This is an intimate time for you and God. Stay encouraged and spending time in Him. Focus on ONLY what He says to be true in YOUR LIFE (psalm 139).
*During your intimate time with the Lord, Play this video below and listen to the lyrics and let it speak to you. After watching, write your response as a letter to God about what this song meant to you!
Morning Journal
JOURNAL: This morning, set some time aside for you and the Lord today and pray. Journal as you feel led. Start writing about your perceptions in life and what you think you may need help to work on. Write some issues or situations you are currently facing, and sharing with the Lord your concerns about these. Try seeing it from God's perspective. If God allowed you to borrow His eyes for a second, looking at your situation what do you think He sees? Has this changed/affected the way you see your current issues? If so, write that down.
DEVOTIONAL: Choose to write either the Theme Verse or Memory Verse down. (maybe even both!) Now explain what the theme verse, and memory verse mean to you.
Evening Journal
JOURNAL: Record or write your times in your journal through out the day of when you were able to Accomplish this challenge, or even failed and need more room to grow. PRAYER: Seek and Ask God in prayer for help, guidance, and guarding your tongues
DEVOTIONAL: Choose a focus verse from the day's challenge. Write that verse down. Explain what this verse is speaking to you. List 3 ways you can apply this verse to your life NOW!
Extra Journal: Set some time for just you and God, and as you ready your heart to hear from Him, ask God to reveal His truth in your life, and write that down. (This can come in a form of a voice, a pull/tug, a vision/dream, an idea or thought, scripture, etc.) On a separate piece of paper, if you are dealing with an issue and need some light shed on to that situation, write a prayer out to God expressing your heart, what is it that you’re seeing, feeling, experiencing. Now, wait, and hear for the response of your Father and His love! If a scripture pops to your mind, read it and write it down and your understanding to that scripture. Also, write down the answer He reveals to your heart in regards to this issue. Now, take that piece of paper with the issues and rip it up symbolizing giving it back to God!
Journal Prompts
OK, so maybe you're stuck in what to journal about, or maybe you're not the quite writing person, but you're wanting to get in on this whole journal with God thing. Listen, I've been there before. I've been stuck, made excuses, etc. Maybe the desire was there, but the motivation or creativity surely did not. One thing that helps me the most is pray and be honest with the Lord, and ask for His hand to help. Another thing that has helped many other people (I told you you're not alone lol) are journal prompts. So, for this challenge, I created a few journal prompts below that you can choose from when your feeling lack of motivation, stuck, and etc. Maybe it'll inspire you to create many of your own.
- Write a Prayer
- Write a Letter to God
- Write your thoughts from the day
- How has the devotional impacted you, are there any new revelations you received from the Lord?
- Write down the theme verse and what this verse says to you
- Search other scriptures that can help with this day's challenge and what it speaks to you
- Revisit Morning Questions- Write any new answers/meditations/thoughts you may have received regarding these questions from this morning. Maybe your answers from this morning's questions have changed. If so, write about them, what changed and why?
- Finish a sentence
"I recognize I still have an issue with....."
"I desire change in the following areas:......"
"Lord, I pray that You will help me to see Your hand in........"
Tonight, at the end of your day, be sure to spend time with your Father, and Journal what took place. How hard was it, did you do it in your own strength? What happened when Jesus came up on the scenes? Did you have more peace? What have you noticed about your focus and perspectives?
KEY TAKE AWAY
*In order to keep the right focus, and knowing who we are in the King, our perceptions MUST be right! We must see through the eyes of Jesus, for Jesus alone is TRUTH! He is the Spirit of TRUTH!*
PRAYER
Lord, I pray that you help guide and shift my focus onto You and your goodness in my life. If I ever find myself in fear, doubt, worry, anxious, depressed, anything opposite of the abundance You have come to bless me with, I pray you stop that spirit in it's tracks, get a hold of my mind, thoughts, and focus on to You once more. Help me to seek You in ALL things today, Lord. Help me to see Your beauty and LOVE in ALL things, dear Lord. Father, I am DETERMINED to walk by FAITH, and not by sight. You have promised in Your Word that ALL things will work together for my good, because I love You and I am called for your purpose (Romans 8:28). That means no matter what it looks like, sounds like, or feels like, it's all in the works to turn out for my good. You promised in Your word Father that You think nothing but GOOD thoughts towards me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that Your thoughts for me out number the grain of the sand (Psalm 139). So, Lord, I know no matter what it looks like, I can always trust You. Father help me to answer the call You place on my heart to spend time with you in the secret place, for I know, there, in that place, not only will my mind and thoughts shift in the right focus, but my heart surgery is in place. So that I may speak well of others and myself. I may honor You with my lips, and my perceptions will be in align according to Your will. That I may speak all that You give me to speak, and discern Your guidance in my life! Thank You for all that You are and will do! This I pray, in Your Son, Jesus name, Amen.
*feel free to rewrite this prayer in your journal and change any words that will fit the prayers of your heart!
*feel free to rewrite this prayer in your journal and change any words that will fit the prayers of your heart!
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