Free Get Your Hopes Up!: Expect Something Good to Happen to You Every Day by Joyce Meyer Page A

relate today. Of course, you’re not thousands of feet above the ground right now (at least I hope you’re not), but maybe you’re on a ledge of financial struggle and it feels as if you’re about to slip. Maybe you’re in a relationship that is swaying and shaking like a rickety bridge, and you feel it might collapse at any moment. Maybe you’re trying to climb over an obstacle so high that it has you nervous and afraid. If that’s the case—if you’re hurting today—I want to give you some familiar advice: Whatever you do, don’t look down.
    Whatever you do, don’t look down
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    I say “don’t look down” because a lot of people look to the wrong things when they find themselves in difficult situations. They focus on the size of the problem, the risks that they’re facing, the negative things others are saying, the pain of their past, their own unhealthy feelings and emotions, or their fear of failure. But there is no hope in any of those negative things. Those are all things that are “down,” and looking to them will not help you make the climb.
    The Bible gives us a better option when we’re in need of help. Instead of looking down at the things that can’t help us, the Wordof God tells us to look up—to put our focus on the One who will always help us. Hebrews 12:2 says: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” (NKJV), and Isaiah 45:22 says, “Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” When he was in trouble, David would turn and look to the heavens, because he knew his help came from on high (see Psalm 121:1–2). I want to encourage you to do the same thing. When you’re going through something and you’re not sure what to do, where to go, or even where to look… just look up. Look for the Lord. He is the One who can help you. He is the One who will rescue you. He is the One who refuses to let you fall. Jesus said to look up, for our redemption draws near (see Luke 21:28). Our redemption is not in looking down. We look up to God expecting Him to redeem us.
    When you’re going through something and you’re not sure what to do, where to go, or even where to look… just look up
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    The phrase “look up” means more than just gaze at the sky. It means to have a hopeful attitude, a positive outlook, and an expectation of something good. God is good, and He is always planning something good for us.

Nothing Can Take God’s Place
    We often look to people or things during times of uncertainty, and that is understandable but usually ineffective. Even though we know we should trust God, and even though we believe He loves us and has a plan for our lives, there’s just a natural temptation to grab onto something tangible—something we can see with the natural eye. We can see God, but we must see Him with the eye of faith. We see Him with our hearts, and we should always put our hope in Him.
    As I’ve traveled the world ministering to people, praying with them, and helping them through struggles, I’ve discovered there are many things people look to when they’re hurting before they think to look to God. Here are just a few of the most common examples:

Looking to Friends
    It’s great to have friends you can talk to and confide in when you’re hurting, especially friends who are believers, who will pray with you and encourage you. However, your friends don’t have all the answers. Even though they may be well intentioned, they can guide you in the wrong direction if their advice doesn’t line up with God’s Word. Our friends might feel sorry for us but may be unwilling to be truthful enough to tell us what we need to hear. I recall when Dave told me that I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself. I didn’t like it and I got angry with him, but what he said was true and I needed to hear it. Dave loved me enough to give me what I needed instead of what I wanted. I’ve seen situations in which friends have kept someone