A Prayer to Turn Our Eyes from Worthless Things
By: Victoria Riollano
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. - Psalm 119:37
Years ago, I suffered from paralyzing nightmares. While others rested peacefully, I would toss and turn and imagine what could be lurking through the house. There were nights when I would wake my husband up three times or more to see who was breaking in or what the creepy sound was in the hall. No matter how hard I tried to shake the terror or pray my way through it, it seemed I never quite got relief. Each day I would be restless from the long nights and anxiously dreading the evening to come.
Then one day, I prayed to the Lord, “Please show me how to be free from this fear, reveal what I can do to make it go away.” After this prayer, I turned on the television and was immediately convicted. The Lord started to reveal to me that my evening routine of watching scary movies, daytime indulgence of the local news, and surfing the internet about unsolved mysteries were the culprit for my constant fear.
In many ways, I was constantly feeding my spirit things that were “worthless” and that didn’t lead to life. When I made the choice to be intentional about no longer watching these things, I was instantly set free from the years of bondage. I finally found rest.
In Psalm 119, David shares the heart of one who desperately wants to follow the Lord. In verse 10, he states that he will seek the Lord with all his heart and asks the Lord to help him not to stray. In the longest chapter of the Bible, David cries out to the Lord to help him to carry His testimony, precepts, and laws all the days of his life. We can’t help but hear David’s intense desire as speaks to the Lord:
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. - Psalm 119:147-148
David was a man who had enemies and hard times. From jealous brothers, to the death of his infant son, and a lifelong battle with Saul, it seemed David had his fair share of troubles. Yet, God had also blessed David with victory over Absalom, Saul, and Goliath. In all this, David learned that it was imperative that he sought the Lord in all things. He recognized that his focus on God’s words is what preserved him.
Quite frankly, David did not have time for useless things and worthless conversations. His life was on the line so many times that he knew without God’s protection, he would surely die. His focus had to be immersed in who God was and following His standards in order to continue to walk in victory.
In this hour, we have a great opportunity to pause and consider where we have placed our focus. Have we used our time on things that lead toward life or death? In my life, I spent years pouring into things that were useless for my spirit. As a result, I lived a life of feeling anxious, aggravated and fearful.
I am certain that if I had the prayer of David to “turn my eyes from worthless things” I would have walked in freedom much earlier. You see, David gives us a great example of how we can be amid turmoil but make a choice to allow God’s word to be the center of our focus. When we inundate our lives with other things that don’t bring glory to God, we find ourselves never in a state of peace.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, I pray today that You would turn my eyes from worthless things. Preserve my life according to Your Word. Would You reveal anything that is hindering me from walking in victory?
I pray I would have eyes to see worldly distractions for what they are. I pray for eyes that see with an eternal perspective. Align my heart and your will, O Lord! Give me freedom over the temptations and distractions that threaten my close relationship with you. Grow my love for you over all things.
May your Word be the center of my attention. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Victoria Riollano is an author, blogger, and speaker. As a mother of six, military spouse, Psychology professor and minister’s wife, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Recently, Victoria released her book, The Victory Walk: A 21 Day Devotional on Living A Victorious Life. Her ultimate desire is to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. She believes that with Christ we can live a life that is ALWAYS winning. You can learn more about her ministry at https://www.victoryspeaks.org.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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