Have you ever given someone a surprise gift and had them cover their eyes so they didn’t look before just the right time? NO PEEKING!!! Or have you ever gotten a package in the mail before Christmas marked, “Do not open until December 25th,” and you really wanted to look? NO PEEKING!!! And the temptation to look, to peek, to unwrap it before Christmas is almost unbearable?
Okay, how many of you would peek? Open it early? How many of you unwrapped your presents early as a kid in secret and wrapped them back up so you wouldn’t have to wait until Christmas to find out what it was? (I personally prefer to wait, but I know people who would totally peek early.) 🙂
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Something that is temporary is not permanent. It’s intended for only a limited amount of time. It’s subject to change.
Eternal, on the other hand, means lasting or existing forever. Without beginning or end. It also means existing outside of time.
So the Bible tells us here to fix our eyes on what is unseen. In other words, don’t look at what you can see, look at what you cannot see. What???
How do you look at what you can’t see? How do you “fix your gaze” on something that isn’t really there?
That word look also means to regard or consider or take heed to. It’s not about what you do with your physical eyes but what you do with your mind. It’s telling us what to do with our thoughts. And it’s not as easy as it sounds.
When you’re standing in faith, what you set your mind on can make you or break you. It can be the difference between faith and doubt. Between hope and discouragement. Between joy and depression.
It can be the difference between holding on and giving up.
Colossians 3 says to set your minds and keep them set on the things that are above, not on the things on this earth. To keep your mind set where Christ is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Where victory and power reign.
Hebrews 12 says to look away from all that will distract to Jesus so that we don’t lose heart and faint in our minds. On the One who has already overcome.
How? How do we do this? By keeping our minds fixed on Him. On His Word. On His promises. On what’s true. By not believing the lies that the enemy throws at our minds.
And the situation you’re facing is not the lie I’m talking about. Faith doesn’t deny the facts. Faith chooses to look at the Truth instead. The enemy does use the situations we face to tell lie to us, though.
“But I really do have cancer in my body. That’s not a lie!”
No. The cancer in your body is a not a lie. BUT – the thought that there’s no way out. That God won’t heal you. That the cancer has to kill you….that is the lie!
“But I lost my job. That’s not a lie!”
No. You lost your job. That’s not a lie. (Been there…done that!) The lie is that He isn’t faithful. He won’t provide. He won’t open another door. Lies all lies.
The good news is – we get to CHOOSE where we set our thoughts. Where we fix our gaze. We get to choose what we look at and what we don’t look at. It’s totally our choice.
So. Choose not to peek. No peeking at the lies. No peeking at the thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God. No Peeking…at all!
Do whatever it takes to surround yourself with His Word. Post sticky notes with His promises on them around your house. In your car. In your wallet. Have a podcast ready to listen to when those lies wake you up at night and try to steal your peace and rest. Put on some praise music and crank up the volume so those words of faith are louder than the thoughts in your head.
I remember a whole season that was almost 3 years long when my daughter was dealing with seizures that I had praise and worship music playing in my house 24/7. The fear that gripped my heart because of the lies in my head was so strong that I couldn’t pull myself up out of it. I needed help. And that really helped me. Praise God, she is healed and hasn’t had a seizure in over 6 years!
So, no peeking! At all! Find what helps you fix your thoughts on Him and do it. And keep doing it. Faith will become sight. He is faithful. It’s just a matter of time. Our situations are temporary – they are subject to change. And His power is strong enough to change them.