April 22, 2025 - Proverbs‬ ‭23‬:‭7‬

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

Lord, would you show us where our heart is? What is it focused on? You must be our center focus. When we are not focused on you, we tend to be more aware of ourselves. We see our issues, our shortcomings and insecurities, we walk in our pride, we do things in our own strength, etc. Even if we are focusing on good things, we have it wrong if our focus isn’t on you. We can focus on trying to overcome the sin we struggle with, but we will never overcome that way. We can focus on the work we are doing for you, but again, we will not get far that way. We can put our family at the center of our focus, but we will only lose strength caring for them. By making anything other than you our main focus, we are essentially trying to overcome or accomplish those things in our own strength. Forgive us. Our strength will not get us very far. If we can learn to keep our focus on you, you will naturally give us the power to overcome sin.

When our eyes are on you, sin is not appealing. When we make you the center of our life, then serving you isn’t a burden or something we have to make happen, but something we do with you. We are like the child baking the cake with their parent. The parent is really the one who makes sure the cake turns out yummy, and the child has fun helping. The cake will always turn out better when the parent helps the child, versus if the small child attempts it on their own without the direction of the parent. Forgive us for trying to do things on our own. Help us learn to keep our hearts set on you. Be at the center of all we do and teach us to do life with you and not for you.

In Jesus name, amen.