A couple of weeks ago I was kind of in a funk. Nothing seemed really right in my world. Nothing was terribly wrong, mind you, I just was struggling a bit with finding my place and knowing what my next steps should be. I had two meetings that week that I’d practically cried through and quite frankly, I was tired of feeling sad.
My second meeting of the week was a late one and by the time I got home it was 11:15 p.m. Normally, I would head straight for bed, but I knew that I wouldn’t sleep and I also knew how I could change that. It was a very warm night so I grabbed my iPhone and my headphones and headed out to the front yard. And there I sat. Just me, some praise music, the stars, and Jesus. I like to think of it as star-gazing-praising. Even the mosquitoes had enough sense to stay away that night. (I’m fairly certain God had warned them that I was in no mood to be messed with.)
Let me tell you, it’s amazing how fast you can snap out of a funk when you switch your focus from your problems (perceived or real) and put your focus on God. In Matthew 14:22-33 we find the story of Peter frightened by a scary storm on the lake. When Jesus comes out towards them (walking on the very choppy waters) and Peter puts his entire focus on Jesus, do you know what happens? HE WALKS ON WATER! But the MINUTE Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus he starts to sink – FAST!
A person can go anywhere really to be alone with Jesus. It could be in the front yard, your favorite chair, the bathroom (desperate times call for desperate measures), along the ocean, or in your car. All it requires is a heart turned towards him. But, let me say, if you get the chance, find a dark spot to go sit and watch the sky. It’s incredible! Sometimes when I sit there I feel like I’m watching the stars come out. It seems that there are just a few stars when I first begin to look but gradually, as my eyes adjust, more and more stars become visible.
As I sat there that night looking at the stars I was reminded of one of my favorite verses, Psalm 8:3-5 “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place – what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.”
If you are overwhelmed by your situation right now, I’d encourage you to spend a little time doing some star-gazing-praising. But stars or not, fix your eyes on Jesus and watch how your mood improves. Who knows, you might even walk on water.
P.S. My son, Adam, took the picture used in this post. He’s pretty amazing.
Love it!!
Love this blog, Nancy, as all of them. I love to do “star gaze praise”. I have such a peace looking at the night sky and praising my Jesus. It’s just he and I. We have so much beauty to see in the day, too, but there’s something about the stars and the moon that draws me. I think you understand what I’m talking about.
The picture that your son, Adam, took, is beautiful.
Thank you, dear sister in Christ!