Focus On God



 The older I get the harder it is for me to stay focused. My mind is constantly sifting through the tasks on my plate. I have so much that I'm responsible for that many things end up being incomplete or done to a minimum standard. Do I have adult ADD? Or is it that I'm just too busy in life, possibly taken on too many responsibilities, where the tasks blur together and I lose focus and energy. There is no balance. My mind is an organized mess. [Even as I sit here writing this blog, I'm thinking about the cleaning I need to do, my bible study questions I haven't done yet and when am I going to finish the book I'm writing? Speaking of books, that one I just finished reading last night left me hanging and I can't wait for the sequel to come out. What am I going to make for dinner- no wait, I have my bible study tonight- so I don't have to make dinner- and back to the study questions I haven't finished.] See? Focus. (Then I picture Mr. Miyagi saying 'focus Daniel-son'). And I come back full circle: writing this blog.

I get so caught up in the things I'm doing, that I forget the reason behind why I'm supposedly doing them. Writing this blog, my book, the bible study, volunteering at the church... It doesn't mean anything if I'm not doing them for the right reason, with the right heart. It's not the amount of stuff you're doing, or even what you're doing, it's why you're doing it. If you lose your focus on why you're doing it, you might as well stop doing it. Its meaning is pointless then. And you're not only hindering yourself (stress, exhaustion, etc.) you're hindering His Kingdom and His Work. Even if your task that has you overwhelmed isn't inherently for God (or so you think) - the attitude and energy we put forth into it is. (1 Corinthians 16:14, Colossians 2:23-24)

If we're spending time dreading the workload, or planning on how we can do it better to impress someone (even trying to impress God) - we've lost focus. He never intended for us to be so busy that we forget Him; or push Him aside or even cease spending time with Him in our hectic day altogether. (Matthew 11:28-30, John 6:28-29) Martha lost focus when Jesus came to visit. She was so busy preparing and serving Him, she didn't take time to enjoy Him. (Luke 10:38-42) The Pharisees got so caught up in the rules and regulations of God, they missed seeing Jesus for Who and What He Is. (Matthew 23) We're the same today, really. We concentrate on our performance, rather than our audience of One. It's not all the stuff we do, or even how well we do it, it's the way in which we do it. It's our attitude and heart behind the actions that count. (Romans 2:6-10)

 "I don't care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don't harness it in and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you're never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants." (Zig Zigler) Focus on God- let Him be your target. When Christ is at the center of everything we do, then everything we do is for Christ.

Recognize the organized chaos when it begins, take a deep breath and say a quick prayer. (Philippians 3:13-14) Open your eyes back up and hone in on the moment. That's what God wants us to do. Stop and be with Him (Psalm 46:10). When you allow your mind to stop, and focus on Him, His Peace settles into you. And when you have His Peace, you can do anything. (Philippians 4:13)


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