Jesus Our Perfect Hope © 2018 by Charles F. Stanley MARCH 14 FOCUS ON GOD The LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. . . . Blessed are all who wait for him! ISAIAH 30:18 NIV No matter what you’re waiting for today, ultimately, you’re better prepared for it if you focus on God during the delay. Why? Because when you continually think about what you lack, it always ends up producing despair in your heart. It tempts you to obsess over your own limitations and to meet your needs in your way rather than the Lord’s—which is the very definition of sin (Jeremiah 2:13). It’s a disheartening cycle that never ends: you fixate on what you don’t have, which puts you in danger of sin, which makes you feel even more depressed and hopeless, which causes you to idolize your desire even more because of the hope that it’ll deliver you from your despondency. What a mess! But when you focus on God, you realize the incredible strength, wisdom, and power that are orchestrating all things on your behalf. You have confidence because the Lord knows and provides what is absolutely best for you. And because He is unaffected by the obstacles that limit and intimidate you, your reasons to fear can utterly disappear. Be wise; focus on God! Jesus, You are the ultimate desire of my heart. Help me always to focus on You. Amen. My hope is in Jesus because He truly satisfies my soul.