“I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:6)
Have you ever noticed how everything changes when your focus shifts? David did. At the beginning of this psalm, David’s circumstances weighed heavily on him, and his thoughts were filled with uncertainty. But as he continued praying, his focus shifted from himself and his struggles to who God is and how He works. And that changed everything.
God didn’t deliver David from Saul at that moment, but He did deliver David from himself—his own thoughts and emotions. And as a result, David was able to genuinely praise the Lord again. David broke into a song of praise, not because his troubles had ended, but because he made a conscious choice to focus on God’s blessings rather than blame God for his battles. He stopped letting emotions lead his thinking and shifted his focus to the attributes and ways of God. It was David who later wrote:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The LORD performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the sons of Israel.” (Psalm 103:1–7)
Life changes when our focus shifts from the works of God to the ways of God. In other words, when we think more about who God is than what we want God to do. How do we come to know His ways? By focusing on His character. Psalm 103 reminds us that God is holy, forgiving, compassionate, righteous, and loving. He is Healer, Redeemer, and Judge. Make it a habit to look for the names and attributes of God every time you read Scripture. The more you know who God is, the more you’ll recognize how He works.
You have a choice today. You can focus on your circumstances, or you can shift your focus to God. You can, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1–2). Some days, the battle is harder than others, but God’s grace is sufficient for each day. Just remember, when your focus shifts, everything changes.
