In the fall of 1996, I began taking a driver’s education class at East Peoria High school with coach Dulin. We were horrible drivers. I felt every day in the car with other students would be my last. Coach Dulin had a lot of teaching to do that semester. One of the lessons we learned was that the car will follow your eyes. If you are looking off to the left, the car will start to veer in that direction. Consequently, if you are looking off to the right, the car will start to veer off to the right. The lesson we learned was to keep your eyes straight ahead.
That was a valuable lesson for driving, but an even more valuable lesson for life. Just like a car, your outlook will follow your eyes. What you look at and focus on will determine your outlook.
When people are in a crisis, it is easy to focus solely on the situation at hand. Bills are due, the diagnosis looks bad, the outcome looks bleak, so we can start to develop a bad outlook. Why? Because our eyes are on the problem and not the solution.
In the New Testament book of Hebrews, there is some sound advice we can use:
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:2
Fix your eyes on Jesus.
When you are in a difficult situation, and your mind is racing, don’t focus on the problem. Focus on the solution. Focus on Jesus. The problem will change. He will not. He is the author of faith and our focal point in time of need.