Psalm 3:3 (NIV)

But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 

We don’t have to look down in despair or defeat because we serve a God who lifts our head. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We are no longer victims but victors in Christ! It was only when Peter looked down at the waves beneath his feet that he started to falter. When he kept his eyes on Jesus, he could walk on water. Just like in the movies when two characters are doing something adventurous, such as scaling a skyscraper, and one says to the other, “Whatever you do…don’t look down,” we too need to keep our focus forward on the task ahead, looking to the One who goes before us. 

If I were to ask you to walk across an eight-foot beam only two feet off the ground, would you do it? Probably. There isn’t much risk in that. What if I raised it five feet off the ground? Most likely. But, what if I raised it 25 feet off the ground, or even 50 feet? How about 500 feet or 5,000 feet? At what point did you drop out and why? Was it because you didn’t know how to walk across an eight-foot beam? Of course not. It takes the same skill level to walk across an eight-foot beam at 500 feet as it does at two feet off the ground. In reality, nothing changed except for your increasing fear of failure.

Fear keeps us from going higher and believing God for greater opportunities. Look up for perspective, look within for courage, look out for opportunities, look back in remembrance, but whatever you do…don’t look down!

Philippines 3:12-14 (NIV)

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.