Faith and Fortitude

As I reread Psalm 16:8 recently, the verse suddenly came alive to me in a new way. “I keep my eyes always on the LORD” (NIV).

Another version says, “I have set the LORD always before me” (ESV). It’s very difficult to focus on something that is beside you or behind you.

Focusing requires that we face it. Focusing on Jesus means we keep Him “before us.” Doing so helps me view the world and everything happening in my life through the lens of my relationship with Christ. “With him at my right hand.” I was reading about this idea of someone being at our right hand. This position represents someone you can trust, someone dependable. Christ is definitely trustworthy.

I have found Him faithful for many decades.

When people ask me about being alone when traveling, I remind them that I haven’t been alone since I accepted Christ when I was thirteen.

He promised never to leave us or forsake us.

Jesus is always at my side. I can’t think of anyone I would rather have as my traveling companion through life. “I will not be shaken.” A lot is going on in this world that could “shake” us. Not just physically but socially, financially, mentally, even spiritually. Knowing that Christ is in front of me and beside me gives me the fortitude I need to keep moving forward. Author Ellen White writes, “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”* Too often, as human beings, we make the same mistake the Israelites did in the wilderness. They forgot. They forgot the miracles that got them out of Egypt.

They forgot the miracle that brought them across the Red Sea on dry land. They forgot to focus on the Lord and focused on the problem instead.

Big mistake. Today I read (again) how Christ was treated at His trial.

There’s no way in His humanity He could have withstood that horrible treatment if He hadn’t kept His focus on His Father.

We need to follow His example and keep our focus on Him.

Fortitude will follow.

Sharon Clark