Where is Your Center?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 ESV

Anxiety is one trait we all share. But anxious thoughts skew our outlook on life. Our problems appear to be far greater than God’s promises. Nothing is further from the truth. God is still in control and He is greater than any struggle we face. He is stronger than our giants, greater than our foes, and mightier than our problems.

One of the best ways to clear our minds of anxious thoughts is readjust our ‘center.’  In dance, “center” refers to the dancer’s core, the central point of their body where stability and balance are achieved. In the same way, followers of Christ have a ‘center’ where stability and balance are found. That center is God and His eternal Kingdom.

“Jesus’ response to our worry-filled lives is quite different. He asks us to shift the point of gravity, to relocate the center of our attention, to change our priorities . . . Jesus does not speak about a change of activities, a change of contacts, or even a change of pace. He speaks about a change of heart. This change of heart makes everything different, even while everything appears to remain the same. This is the meaning of “Set your hearts on his kingdom first… and all these other things will be given to you as well.” What counts is where our hearts are. When we worry, we have our hearts in the wrong place. Jesus asks us to move our hearts to the center, where all other things fall into place.” – Henri Nouwen.

Prayer: Lord, be my center today. Be at the center of my thoughts, my actions, my spoken words. Set my sights on you and your kingdom. Amen.

Thought: “The little troubles and worries of life may be as stumbling blocks in our way, or we may make them stepping-stones to a nobler character and to Heaven. Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.” – Henry Ward Beecher