A note from Jodi:

Happy New Year, friends! I have missed showing up here over the last few months. A few of you have asked if I will continue offering encouragement through Pennies in Your Path, and my answer is yes.

I took a break from Pennies in Your Path to narrow my focus on publishing a book. There I said it! Yikes! I have been working on this project for two years and have just sent it to the editor. In Trust Issues, I share my unique take on building confidence in the power of an unseen God. Drawing from the life of David as well as my own journey, my prayer is that the reader will discover:

– How to better understand the character of God

– How to gain confidence in God’s trustworthiness

– The positive purposes of the difficult places of your life

– That God can mend your heart if you have been hurt before

– That you can experience the peace, joy, and freedom you have been longing for

I look forward to sharing more about Trust Issues with you in the coming days.

I am thrilled that you are here with me again! I pray the devotional below will inspire you to seek the Lord’s perspective as you navigate through your circumstances this year.

Devotion 

by Jodi L. Aiken

“O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” (2 Kings 6:17, NASB)

Have you seen an image before and quickly realized it was an optical illusion? When you first look, you know what you see it to be. For instance, it’s a picture of a young lady. However, at a second glance, you see a different perspective. Now you know it’s not a young lady but an older woman. You now cannot unsee both images in this one picture.

 

As we look at the canvas of our lives, sometimes our perspective is clouded by our limitations, preventing us from recognizing the good.

We can only see tragedy in the loss of something or someone.

We can only see one path, which leads to a dead end.

We can only see defeat as the banner of our day.

Some would say that our experiences cause us to view things “in the flesh.” But what if we could see through a spiritual lens? Would that change our attitude, outlook on life, or faith?

Let’s consider the perspective of the servant to the prophet Elisha.

In 2 Kings 6, the King of Aram was at war against Israel. He became frustrated because the Israelites seemed to know his every move, and he was defeated. As the king cried out to unveil who was betraying him, it was revealed that the one responsible was a prophet named Elisha. 2 Kings 6:12 explains how he is responsible, “the prophet who is in Israel tells the king of Israel the words that you [king of Aram] speak in your bedroom.” (Wow! There is another message in that statement, but for another time.) Infuriated, the king sends his men to capture Elisha.

As Elisha and his servant were settling down for the evening, the servant stepped outside and saw an army surrounding them. Fear gripped him, and he could only see potential tragedy, no way out, and defeat.

Elisha, seeing his servant terrified, prayed for God to open his eyes (v. 17). Elisha knew that if he could see from a spiritual viewpoint, he would no longer be afraid. Indeed, his servant’s perspective changed when he saw the army of angels surrounding the army of the Arameans that were surrounding Elisha and himself.

Friend, when you are pursuing God’s agenda, even if surrounded by worthy adversaries, you can have confidence that God is for you and working on your behalf. How can I be sure of this claim? His Word reminds us in Romans 8:31 that “if God is for us, who can be against us?” We read in Deuteronomy 31:8 that God promises to go ahead of you and will not abandon you, so don’t be afraid or discouraged. There is great comfort in God’s promises and the fact that He never fails to see (Genesis 16:13).

No matter what it is that is costing you sleep, know you have a Big God on your side. As you actively seek God for who He is and not just what He can do for you, your outlook on life will transform. Your awareness that God is in control and holds all things together (Colossians 1:17) ignites more confidence in Him than the debilitating sense of defeat in your circumstances. God can open your eyes to see a new positive perspective. God is faithful to His people and will always be present and help you through your circumstances (Psalm 46:1). Looking through a spiritual lens reminds you that there is victory in Him.

No matter your circumstances, God loves you. He will not waste anything you go through, and while He is working for your good, He is also working for His glory.

Ask God to open your eyes to see Him more clearly in your circumstances and spend time praising Him when He does. Your perspective shift is not an optical illusion but a correct view of what’s been in front of you all along. When the spirit of the living God changes you and what you see, there is peace, guidance, and hope.

My one word for the year is perspective. I anticipate my word will benefit me greatly! What one word will you focus on in 2024 to help shift your perspective? I would love to know! You can share your word with me by clicking here.

Ask Yourself:

What lens am I viewing my situation through? One clouded by my limitations or one empowered by God’s ability to enlighten you with His peace?

*Allow God to use you to spread His encouragement. Please share this by forwarding this e-mail or sharing it on social media.

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