Do you know where you’re going? Is what you are focusing on in your life controlling where you’re headed? Is this the right direction for your life or do you want to change it? What are you longing for in your life? Are you paying more attention to yourself and fulfilling your needs than helping others with their needs? How’s that “self-focus” working out for you?
If your path is not the right one, do you ever wonder how to get on the right path to achieve your short-term, as well as your long-term objectives? What are those objectives: status, wealth, power, or peace of mind and security for yourself and your family? What about your relationship with God? Do you need to change your focus of life to better understand your connection with God? Do you believe you can achieve all of your objectives without His help?
Here’s a short anecdote to illustrate my point. As a former Harley Davidson motorcycle owner and rider, I learned that where my eyes are focused while riding is where the bike and I are going. It’s a critical practice to learn to train your focus on where you want the motorcycle to go. My riding instructor emphasized to never look down, but always keep your head up and your eyes focused forward in the direction you want to go. When I was first learning to ride, it took me awhile to truly believe my riding instructor’s guidance regarding this practice. As a rookie rider, I was more worried about falling, or as we say in the vernacular of fellow riders, laying down the motorcycle on the pavement. I had to trust this riding technique in order to pass my rider safety course.
So with a strong sense of determination, I slowly started putting this proven technique into practice. I was surprised how quickly the confidence increased in riding and controlling an 800 lb. bike. I passed the test and became more comfortable over the passing weeks and months with turning my head and my focus to control the path of the bike and staying upright (“keep’n the shiny side up”).
I believe this same practice also applies to controlling the direction of your life. I believe that where your eyes are focused in various aspects of your life will control the path of your life as well. In other words, what we place our highest priorities on and give our utmost attention to will dictate our actions. The Bible makes several references in both the Old and New Testament that where your focus is, is where your heart will be also. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Most pastors frequently remind us to look at our checkbooks or credit card accounts to determine where we are placing our priorities and focus of attention, which reflects where our hearts are focused. And where are hearts are focused will determine our path of life. Do you believe you’re on the right path?
But before you answer that question, have you considered what is the most important focus of your life? Is your focus on the aspects of this world or God’s kingdom? In other words, is your focus on eternal life in heaven or solely on the materialistic world you live in filled with tangible items, money, property, and pleasures you cannot take with you when you leave this life? Your choice will have everlasting consequences both in this life and in the next.
Most importantly, you must choose wisely where to focus your life because, as in my anecdote above, “where you’re looking, is where you’re going.” Your life in this world and in the next depends on it. As Jesus said, “He who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake will save it.” “What profits a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?” [Matthew 16:25-26]
One approach to help you determine what to focus your life on is to look up and out. What does that mean you say? In today’s world it is too easy to become self-absorbed in our social media apps and be oblivious to the people and activities going on around us. Wake up and look up! Don’t keep looking down at your smartphone, look up and look out in your environment to see opportunities to do good work right in front of you. Be brave and make a connection with someone that crosses your path every day. This practice will help you take the focus off of you and enable you to focus your eyes, mind, heart, and soul on God and His goodness in this world. Put your faith in God and His Word for being the best “instructor” for guiding you and keeping you on the right path of life. As captured in Psalm 32: 8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye.” God will guide you to where He wants you to go and what He wants you to do with your life. In doing so, He makes you into who you need to be in order to receive the blessing and keep you on the right path to receive it. You just have to trust Him. So push your doubts aside and put your focus and faith in the Lord.
Rest assured that when you make this change in focus for your life, your thoughts, speech, and actions will follow. You will quickly learn to minister to others one at a time with kindness, fairness, acceptance and genuine concern for their welfare. Your new path of life will fulfill God’s second most important commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” As you work to serve others in God’s name, a strong feeling of humility will bring peace to your soul beyond all understanding, which C.S. Lewis defined as, “Not thinking less of your self, but thinking of your self, less”. Let the love of God that’s in your soul come out to be shared with others. That will be your new path of life and enable you to follow Jesus to your everlasting home in heaven.
I pray that you will be blessed with wisdom and understanding as you discern your focus of life and choose the best course of action to help you find your eternal home.
Live, Love, Learn and Grow in Jesus
Blessings,
Jerry
