Check Your Focus

I was listening to a pastor I know talk about new cars and how they begin to depreciate in value the moment they leave the lot. Probably as soon as we sit in that driver’s seat, really. Her words, however, made me think about how protective we tend to be over our “new stuff”. 

I have a coworker who, like many of us at work, had no other recourse but to purchase a new vehicle. Unlike the rest of us, when he began to drive his new car, he also began to park in the row of parking spaces furthest from the building. The spot was least likely to get him a parking buddy. Yet, he did it intentionally. His sole purpose was to be able to do regular checks of his vehicle for any dints and scrapes. He’d be able to narrow down the who, why, and the how if any minor damages surfaced. That was his mindset for quite some time. In the beginning. Over time, he began to relax his guard just a bit, until finally, abandoning the patrol completely. 

The reason his experience remains implanted in my mind is because of how similar the behavior is to the experience of some believers. In the beginning, they are zealous. You can’t keep them away from a church, a prayer gathering, bible study, or anything along those lines. Over time, that zeal begins to wane. If you know anyone like this, then you probably found yourself wondering what happened? 

While each of our stories is different and our experiences unique to us as individuals, the one thing we should all endeavor to do each day is to keep our focus on God. Why is that so hard for us to do? We’re not 100% spirit. We’re body, spirit, and soul. Our flesh is constantly at war with our spirit. Talk about irreconcilable differences!

When we relax our guard, we lose focus and become more susceptible to damage. That’s both our “stuff” and our spirit. That’s why what we feed our spirit is so important. If we’re eyeballing the storm that’s raging all around us and not keeping our attention on the savior that is beckoning us to draw nigh to him, then like Peter, we to will begin to sink. And if we don’t ask our savior for help, then we’ll ultimately drown. 

So each day, spend a little time in God’s presence. Don’t focus so much on your laundry list, as I call it. Instead, spend just a few minutes giving God your undivided attention. Spend those moments expressing gratitude. That positive thinking goes a long way in uprooting the negativity.

Stay Sunny! 

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