STEADFAST: Firmly fixed in place, not subject to change, immoveable
For almost a decade, I’ve wrestled with faith and experienced crippling doubt. For a whole year, I woke in the middle of the night, my heart pounding and mind racing. In the early morning, I would sit in darkness, crying out to the Lord to give me relief and help me experience the peace I knew only He could provide. And, while I felt temporary relief, the anxious thoughts and uncertainty over the security of my salvation were always present like an uninvited guest that wouldn’t take the hint to leave.
On one particularly tough day, I searched for verses about peace, specifically in our thoughts. I found Isaiah 26:3 ( NIV), “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” I repeatedly read the verse, immediately feeling the pain of Holy Spirit conviction. I’d spoken a lot about my faith struggles, shared with family and friends, and cried out to God to “Help me!” Yet, the reality was I’d stop trusting God. Yes, I still trusted He was the creator of the universe, and Yes, I still trusted that He sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world, but I stopped trusting that He keeps His promises.
I was the opposite of steadfast. My faith depended on what I could see ( or not see). It was wavering, changing daily based on how I felt instead of standing firm on what I knew to be true: God is good and can be trusted. Trusting God starts with fixing our thoughts on Him. And when we firmly put our trust in Him, we will experience perfect peace that only He can provide.
Bible teacher, Jen Wilkin, once said, “The heart can’t love what the mind doesn’t know.” I would add to this and say, “We can’t trust what the mind doesn’t know to be true.” If we don’t know God’s Word, we can’t arm ourselves with truth to fight our anxious thoughts, doubts, and lack of trust. Each day, we must study God’s Word, pray for the Lord to help us in our weakness, and apply the timeless truths of Scripture to our lives. That’s what I hope this devotional will do for you: an invitation to meet with Jesus every day.
While I don’t still wake up in a panic, I am not entirely healed from my proclivity to doubt the Lord. But I know I can return to the unwavering God when I waver. He is good, can be trusted, and faithful in keeping His promises. We simply must choose to be steadfast, placing our trust in Him.
DAY 1: A Prayer for God-Thoughts Day and Night
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” -Romans 12:2 NLT
Our lives are full of distractions. I sit down to read my Bible, but at the familiar buzz of my phone, I pause and read my latest text message. Ten minutes later, after I’ve checked my e-mail, added items to the grocery list, and scrolled through social media, I am out of time before I need to get ready for work, so I close my Bible, leaving the day’s reading unfinished.
I head into the grocery store to grab milk for tomorrow’s breakfast. I see a bright yellow sign displaying the week’s sales items and wander off in search of adding these groceries to my cart. I get home and realize that I’ve forgotten the milk.
I start cleaning the house, but when my vacuum gets caught on a stray sock under the bed, I turn it off and reorganize the whole room. Fast-forward three hours, and I am surrounded by piles of clothes, shoes, and toys. I make a note to ensure I return to the vacuuming tomorrow.
Yes, many of us must work hard to stay focused on the task at hand. So many things are vying for our attention, and far too often, we focus on the temporary over the eternal.
Over 100 passages of Scripture address our minds and the importance of focusing on the right things —the things that are of God. As believers, it is essential to begin each day with the right mindset because our perspective and thoughts will ultimately shape our actions. Living a godly life starts with thinking godly thoughts.
So, how do we do that? How do we keep our thoughts on God day and night in a world overflowing with distractions?
Paul addresses that in our key verse, Romans 12:2: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” To think about the things of God, we have to renew and transform our thinking.
To help us fight distractions and stay focused on God’s will for our lives, we must learn to love what God loves and hate what He hates. This lifelong process results from continual immersion in God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. In other words, it takes intention and time; it is a consistent and constant surrendering of our thoughts to the Lord.
Friend, I know how difficult it is to keep your thoughts focused on the Lord, not be swayed by the things of this world, and prioritize the things that have no eternal significance over time with the Lord. But we serve a God who is patient with His children and gives grace and mercy when we fall short. His mercies renew every morning; each day presents a new opportunity to reflect Christ more fully in our thoughts, speech, and actions.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I humbly come before You, acknowledging all the ways I fall short. Yet, You are long-suffering. You love Your children; You quickly forgive if I confess my transgressions. I ask that through the work of the Holy Spirit, my mind be transformed to be more like You. Help me to be focused on Your will for my life, looking at not what I can see, which is temporary, but concentrate on the unseen, which is eternal ( 2 Corinthians 4:18). Heavenly Father, let me be so in tune with the Holy Spirit that I can resist distractions and things that keep me from reading the Scriptures so that I can pray and abide in Christ. Help me to stand out from the world, knowing that I was bought at a price; let me live a life worthy of the gospel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FAITH STEP
Distractions are the biggest hindrance to our time with the Lord. Make a plan to prioritize spending time in God’s Word.
About the Author:
Laura Bailey is an author and Bible teacher who encourages women to understand what they believe, why it matters, and how to apply biblical truths to their lives Her writing has been featured in Proverbs 31 Ministries, Crosswalk, Guideposts, and various Christian publications She is the author of multiple books and Bible studies, and her latest release is Steadfast: An Invitation to Focus Our Thoughts on the Lord She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls She attends Macedonia Baptist Church, where she teaches weekly and leads the women’s ministry. Learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com or follow her on Instagram and Facebook. @LauraBaileyWrites
Connect with Laura:
Facebook and Instagram: @LauraBaileyWrites
