Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

focus

Our Stronghold

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God is our stronghold. It’s a truth spoken throughout God’s Word. A stronghold is a place that’s been so fortified, it is impenetrable. These days, we might call them bunkers or safe rooms. Historically, they were forts, often carved out of a mountainside. Strongholds were the area of last resort when a kingdom was being besieged.

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They were self-sustaining and people could live there for years while they waited out the attacks of the enemy. It was the safest place one could be, and once inside, they had little to fear from outside forces. And so it is with our stronghold, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are never safer than when we place our life within His.

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A New Plan

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For years, the last couple of weeks of the year were a flurry of activity for me. This was goal-setting time, a time to reflect on what I accomplished over the past year and make plans for what I would aspire to do in the year to come. I had one-year plans, three-year plans, five-year plans, and ten-year plans. I laid out everything neatly and precisely. While my goals would evolve, I always had a roadmap for my life.

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I was leaving as little to chance as possible. “The man who fails to plan plans to fail”, or so the saying goes. But, to quote another famous saying, “Man plans, God laughs.” Except I’m not sure God was laughing at all the plans I was making. I think shaking His head might be more accurate.

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Steadiness

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Life, and all of history, is cyclical. We’ve all heard the phrase, “history repeats itself”, and those who have lived or studied long enough know it to be true. We see it on a more personal level in our individual histories. Everyone goes through periods in our careers where we enjoy what we do and the people with whom we work. Then the company gets sold or a few of your favorite people leave, and everything changes.

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After some time, you begin enjoying your work again, either at that company or by moving on. Our satisfaction in our work and personal life always ebbs and flows. God created a cyclical universe. The one thing not cyclical is God Himself. He is the epitome of steadiness, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).

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Focus

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As we go through life accumulating stuff and accolades, we would do well to heed the words of the Apostle Paul. He said everything he had gained in this world was garbage. Whatever things he had acquired or prestige he received, none of it counted for anything (Philippians 3:7-8). I dare say we’ve not accomplished anything close to what Paul accomplished in his life.

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But while we cling to our possessions and honors, Paul dismissed his. He did so because he knew nothing compared to the eternal love and beauty of Jesus. Paul understood what it meant to devote one’s life to Christ. Jesus was not an interesting diversion for Paul. Jesus was his life. Can we claim such singleness of purpose and focus in our lives?

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Find Joy

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I’m convinced joy is the key to surviving this life. A world intent on breaking us down has no answer for joy. As the great leader Nehemiah wrote several thousand years ago, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Paul recognized the importance of being joyful when he admonished believers to always rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). It’s still true today.

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No matter what comes your way, when you focus on the love of Christ, you find the strength to carry on. In fact, when you are filled with joy, the trouble doesn’t seem so bad in the first place. Joy not only provides strength when you feel weak but also perspective when you’re feeling overwhelmed. The best part is joy is both free and a limitless supply is available to us.

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