Focus

Well, it has been exactly one year today that I posted my very first blog. Thank you, David, for showing me a new way to express my thoughts and feelings. It is really great to have an outlet to codify some of my thoughts and experiences that help me to see God at work in my everyday life. Too often I get distracted by the daily grind and the activities that clutter my work day and my home life. When there is so much going on, I can tend to focus on the next task, or how we are going to get the family from one place to another and how to fit it all into the limited time we have. Then, when there is some down time, I have time to blog, but sometimes my attentions turn elsewhere. This is when I become weak and when Satan creeps in to try and convince me that I need to do something for myself – after all I deserve it, right? Distraction is one of Satan’s greatest tools.

Having the opportunity to sit down occasionally and put pen to paper (or mostly fingers to keyboard) and remind myself how I encountered God throughout the days events helps me to focus more on God and helps me to recognize opportunities to serve Him. The more I take the time to blog, or to prepare for a class or sermon, or participate in some other church related activity, the more my mind and thoughts focus on what’s truly important. Paul got it right when he said,

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)

It is all a matter of focus, which seems to be harder and harder to accomplish as we live our lives and as more and more things compete for our time and attention. So I constantly ask myself what I can do to become more focused...to keep things that are holy and pure and spiritual at the forefront of my mind. So I do things like listen to Christian music, post scriptures on my computer desktop, keep a Bible in my desk, call Christian brothers to discuss spiritual matters, agree to teach Bible classes and do other work for the Church, download Christian songs on my cell phone to be reminded every time someone calls, read other blogs from other Christians who I respect, and even review some of my own previous blog posts (after all, some may be pretty good)...Even this reminds me of where I have been and points me to where I need to go.

Yet, sometimes I still have trouble maintaining my focus. I would be interested in hearing from some of you as to how you maintain focus on our Creator, Protector, Savior, Shepherd, Father.

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity... And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:12-14, 17)