Don’t look to yourself.

The more you look to yourself,

All you will see is sin and failure.

The sensitive soul cannot see good in himself.

Only the foolish man looks at himself and rejoices,

Thereby testifying of his blindness and foolishness.

In man, lies no good thing.

Looking inwardly will only condemn you to doom and gloom,

And this is not God’s will for your life.

But look up and look away.

Look at Jesus the crucified and resurrected One.

Look at Him who has taken away your shame and still does so.

Look to Him who lives to wash and cleanse your every filth.

Look to Him who atones and redeems and loves you as you are.

Look to Him who empowers you to rise out of filth and rest in Him.

Look away and look up,

For only in such doing is there peace for the weary pilgrim.

The secret to life rests not in my great works and zealous service.

The secret to life is not in my personal sanctification or dedication.

My secret must lie in looking up at Jesus and fixing my eyes on Him.

Where I fix my gaze will determine my health.

My rest will remain and continue if my gaze is steadfast.

For if His death and resurrection cannot heal my wounded soul,

Then what was the point of the death and resurrection?

There is abundant power and grace with Christ,

But the pilgrim must learn the discipline of looking up.

Look at Him and power is released to heal and restore.

Look at Him and joy overtakes the gloom of failure.

Satan is totally disarmed when we gaze on Jesus,

And the guilt of failure is erased once we stop looking inwards.

Condemnation is Satan’s tool to keep you paralyzed,

Always showing you your worthlessness and vileness

(And everything he shows is correct),

But that’s why Jesus came.

He came because I am vile,

Loved me because I was vile,

Died for me because I was vile,

Resurrected because I was vile,

And invites me to Himself even in my vileness.

This is where we must disarm Satan.

Jesus did not and does not love me because I am holy.

While I was yet dead in my trespasses,

He died for me,

How much more now that I have accepted Him as my savior and Lord?

The key to defeating the enemy is to remember that,

In me dwells no good thing,

And all my goodness comes from God alone.

And for this reason,

This sick and loathsome man will not look inward,

Knowing very well what lies within the bosom of Man.

This sick and loathsome man rejoices to look above,

To see the crucified Lord,

To embrace the resurrected Lord,

And knowing that I am free because of the work at Calvary,

And not because of my good works,

For nothing I do can vindicate me or justify me,

Or make me more appealing to God.

It has to be God Himself working in me and working through me,

So if there is anything good that comes out of me,

It’s certainly not from me.

Amen.

“My eyes will be fixed away from me from today.

Oh Lord, help me fix my gaze on You and You alone. Amen.

When I am tempted to look inwards,

And wallow in the filth of self-pity,

In mercy my God, remind me again that I must shift my gaze.

When I feel trapped and condemned and broken,

Lift my eyes again to see that you are the One who died and rose for me.

Help me see and appreciate Your love afresh.

Please my Lord,

Don’t allow me the freedom to remain in self condemnation,

For if I do, then I make the cross of Christ of no effect.

May I daily live in the secret of looking up.

And from that steadfast look,

May I enjoy the rest, the peace and the joy of the redeemed.

Amen.”