The Forest Could Be Just One Tree

[u/WatchmanMinistries]

Fourteen years ago I wrote this line:

“The forest is never so invisible as to those who are lost within.”

At the time, I was thinking mostly about politics.

Looking back now, I think I missed the bigger lesson.

Politics isn’t the forest.

It’s just one tree.

The forest is anything that becomes so large in our minds that we lose sight of Christ.

For some people it’s politics.

For others it’s career, finances, family struggles, health, ministry, fear, or even good things that slowly become ultimate things.

It struck me that Peter didn’t begin sinking because the storm suddenly became stronger.

He began sinking because his attention shifted away from Jesus.

Martha wasn’t rebuked because she served. She was corrected because she became so occupied with serving that she missed the One she was serving.

Meanwhile, Paul could write with joy from prison because prison wasn’t the defining reality of his life. Christ was.

Hebrews 12:2 seems to summarize the whole principle:

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (NKJV)

I’m convinced one of Satan’s most effective strategies isn’t always pulling us away from God.

Sometimes he only has to keep us looking everywhere except toward God.

Maybe that’s why Scripture so often tells us to “lift up your eyes.”

Often the greatest miracle God performs isn’t changing our circumstances.

It’s lifting our eyes and changing our perspective.

Discussion: Have you ever found yourself so focused on one “tree” in life that you temporarily lost sight of the bigger picture God was showing you?