“For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”  (M’Cheyne)

I look at myself too much.

My plans, my desires, my discouragement, my failures, my fears, my regrets, my weaknesses.

I don’t look at Christ often enough.

Who He is, His glory, majestic power and unfathomable love.

Corrie Ten Boom says it well, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God you’ll be at rest.”

While it is good and right to examine ourselves at times, it is always essential to look fully at the beauty of who Jesus is and everything He has done for those who place their faith in Him. 

Here are ten verses I’ve picked out to dwell on when my eyes are fixed on myself too much. I encourage you to pick out your own ten verses and as we look at them, we will continually behold the greatness of the Lord, and our lives will look different because of it.

1. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:25:26)
2. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11:14)
3. if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (2Tim 2:13)
4. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life;  of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
5. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103)
6. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;  a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
7. For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? (Deut 4:7)
8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
9. Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:5-7)
10. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24)