Jesus Calling November 23
Okay, so picture this: I’m scrolling through my phone, probably at 2 AM, because who needs sleep when there’s endless cat videos, right? Suddenly, I stumble upon this thread – someone’s complaining about how annoying it is when people tell them to “just be positive.” Like, “Oh, your house burned down? Just be positive!” You know the vibe. And I’m nodding along, totally agreeing. Because sometimes, people are just… tone deaf. And we’ve all been there, right? That moment when you’re feeling pretty rough, and someone chirps, “Chin up!” and you just want to scream. It feels so dismissive, so… unreal.
But then, this other person jumps in, and they’re not being preachy or anything. They’re just sharing how, after a really, really tough time, someone did tell them to try and find the good, and at first, they hated it. Hated it with the fire of a thousand suns. But then, they said, they realized the person wasn’t telling them to ignore the bad, but to actively look for the little glimmers of light. Like, “Okay, the house burned down, but hey, at least no one was hurt.” Or “This project is a total disaster, but I learned this skill I never would have otherwise.” It’s not about pretending everything’s sunshine and rainbows when it’s clearly a dumpster fire. It’s about purposefully shifting your focus.
And that got me thinking, because it’s so easy to get stuck in the muck, isn’t it? Especially when life throws you a curveball that feels more like a direct hit to the face. You can get so caught up in the negative that you literally can’t see anything else. It’s like wearing blinders, but instead of a horse, it’s your own anxieties and frustrations doing the blocking.
This whole exchange brought me straight to my November 23rd devotional from Jesus Calling. Sarah Young, bless her heart, has a way of hitting these exact notes. She talks about how when we’re facing difficulties, our natural inclination is to focus on the problem. Like, it’s our brain’s default setting. And it makes sense, right? We’re wired to survive, and identifying threats is part of that. But she points out that this same focus can become a trap. It can paralyze us. It can make us feel utterly powerless.
The Power of Intentional Sight
The main idea that jumped out at me from this entry is this concept of intentional sight. It’s not about ignoring reality, but about actively choosing where to direct our gaze. Jesus, in the devotional, is reminding us that He is always with us, even in the midst of the storm. And when we’re looking only at the storm, we miss Him. We miss the steady hand that’s holding ours, the reassuring whisper that says, “I’ve got this.”
It’s like when you’re desperately searching for your keys. You look everywhere, right? You’re so focused on the frantic search that you might miss them sitting right on the counter in front of you! It’s that tunnel vision. And that’s exactly what happens with our worries. We fixate on the “what ifs” and the “worst-case scenarios” and suddenly, the possibility of a solution, or even just peace, seems impossible. Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.
Sarah Young writes, "When you look primarily at the difficulties, you can feel overwhelmed and discouraged. However, if you focus on Me, you will find strength and peace that transcend your circumstances." Focus on Me. That’s the operative phrase, isn’t it? It’s so simple, and yet, oh so hard to do when your brain is screaming at you to worry about that looming deadline or that awkward conversation you have to have.
I mean, let’s be real. We’re not talking about some kind of magical thinking here. This isn’t about pretending that the bills aren’t due, or that your boss isn’t going to be disappointed. It’s about recognizing that while those things are real, they are not the only reality. And more importantly, they are not the ultimate reality. Jesus is.
This idea of “transcending circumstances” is what really resonates. It means that even if the circumstances don’t change immediately, you can. Your internal landscape can shift. You can move from a place of panic to a place of quiet confidence. And that, my friends, is a game-changer. It’s the difference between feeling like you’re drowning and feeling like you can breathe, even if you’re still in the water.
The Subtle Art of Not Letting Your Worries Win
So, how do we practice this intentional sight? The devotional suggests a few things, and they’re not groundbreaking, but they’re incredibly effective if we actually do them. One is simply to whisper Jesus’ name. It sounds almost too simple, doesn’t it? Like, “Oh, I’m stressed? I’ll just say ‘Jesus’.” But think about it. When you whisper His name, you’re consciously bringing Him into your awareness. You’re acknowledging His presence. You’re pulling your focus away from the problem and onto the Person who is bigger than any problem.
It’s like a tiny, spiritual anchor. When you feel yourself getting swept away by a wave of anxiety, you can just reach for that anchor. You don’t have to launch into a full-blown prayer marathon (though that’s good too!). Just a simple, quiet utterance of His name can be enough to pull you back. I’ve tried it. Sometimes it feels a little silly at first, but then I notice a subtle shift. The tightness in my chest loosens a little. The frantic thoughts quiet down just a notch. It’s like flipping a switch, but a very, very quiet one.
Another suggestion is to remember His constant presence. The devotional emphasizes that Jesus is always with us. Not just when things are good, not just when we’re praying perfectly, but always. When we truly internalize this, it changes everything. It means that in our moments of deepest struggle, we are never truly alone. He’s right there, experiencing it with us, offering His strength and comfort.
Think about it this way: if you knew your absolute best friend was sitting next to you, even if you couldn’t see them, wouldn’t that make facing a difficult task a little easier? You’d have a quiet confidence, knowing you’re not facing it solo. That’s the promise of Jesus’ presence. It’s not a hypothetical. It’s a tangible reality for those who choose to believe it and lean into it.
And here’s where it gets a little more active, a little more challenging. We need to learn to discriminate between necessary worry and unnecessary worry. This is where the “just be positive” crowd sometimes misses the mark. They tend to lump it all together and tell you to just be happy. But the devotional is more nuanced. It acknowledges that sometimes, worry is a signal. It’s telling us that something needs attention. It’s a call to action. That’s necessary worry. It’s the kind that prompts us to fix the leaky faucet or to have that difficult conversation.
But then there’s the unnecessary worry. The kind that spirals. The kind that conjures up scenarios that are highly unlikely, or that fixates on things we have absolutely no control over. This is the worry that paralyses. This is the worry that steals our peace. And this is the worry that Jesus is inviting us to release. He’s not asking us to be passive. He’s asking us to be wise about where we expend our emotional and mental energy.
It’s like, imagine you’re carrying a backpack. Necessary worry is like packing essential items for a hike. You need them to be prepared. Unnecessary worry is like stuffing that backpack with rocks. It’s just dead weight, slowing you down, making the journey miserable, and serving no practical purpose. And Jesus is saying, “Hey, let me help you unpack those rocks.”
The Practice of Peace
The devotional also touches on the idea that peace is not just the absence of trouble, but the presence of Jesus. This is a crucial distinction. We often think that peace means everything is perfect. But if that’s our definition, we’re going to be perpetually disappointed. True peace, the kind that the world can’t give, is found in surrendering our anxieties to Him. It’s about trusting that He is working things out, even when we can’t see how.
Sarah Young says, "My peace is not the absence of turmoil, but My Presence with you in the midst of turmoil." This is so freeing! It means that I don't have to wait for my life to be perfectly put together to experience peace. I can have it right now, in the midst of my messy, complicated, sometimes chaotic existence. That’s revolutionary!
And how do we cultivate this peace? It’s a practice. It’s like any other skill. The more you practice focusing on Jesus, the more natural it becomes. The more you intentionally shift your gaze, the easier it is to do. It’s about consciously choosing to believe His promises, even when your feelings are screaming otherwise. It’s about exercising faith.
So, the next time you feel that familiar pull of anxiety, that urge to get lost in the problem, try this: instead of just trying to “be positive” (which can feel so hollow sometimes), try to be present with Jesus. Whisper His name. Remind yourself that He is with you. And then, gently, intentionally, shift your focus from the problem to the Person who is more than capable of handling it. It’s not a magic wand, but it’s a powerful step towards finding genuine peace, even when the storms rage.
Because honestly, we all have those moments where we feel like we’re drowning in our to-do lists, our worries, and our general life chaos. And it’s so tempting to just throw our hands up and declare it all hopeless. But what if, instead of surrendering to the overwhelm, we could learn to lean on something bigger? What if we could learn to see past the immediate darkness and find the light that’s always there, just waiting for us to acknowledge it?
It’s a journey, for sure. And there will be days (okay, maybe weeks!) when it feels like we’re back to square one. But the beauty of faith is that it’s not about perfection, it’s about persistence. It’s about showing up, day after day, and choosing to trust, even when it’s hard. And that, my friends, is a much more sustainable and, dare I say, more peaceful way to live.
So, the next time you catch yourself staring down a mountain of challenges, remember this little conversation. Remember the idea of intentional sight. And remember that you’re not alone. Jesus is right there, waiting for you to turn your eyes towards Him. And when you do, you might just find that the mountain doesn't seem quite so insurmountable anymore. That’s the power of focusing on Him.
