I have to admit, I tend not to be a focused person as I go from one thing to the next, one project to the next, one person to the next. I confess, I am writing this post more about me than you. I need laser intense focus.
One of my all time favorite animated movies is UP. In the story there is a dog named Dug that is able to talk via an electronic device on his collar. What is memorable about Dug is that he is easily distracted by the presence of squirrels. He could be in the midst of a conversation and see a squirrel and yells, “Squirrel!” Everything else that he was focusing on is gone and the squirrel becomes the main attraction. Many of us are like Dug, not because we have adult ADHD, but because we have so much going on in our lives, minds, and thoughts that we cannot focus. We have a hard time focusing on our jobs, our family, our, hobbies, but especially our spiritual lives – where it really should count. If you are struggling to focus on what it is that you love to do and are called to do, follow the simple steps below to get focused.
Our spirit, by its very nature, anticipates something on the horizon the like of which we have never seen before. Yet it is possible to not see it. To miss it. To turn just as it brushes past us. So move away from the hustle and bustle. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. There will be time enough for running, for activity, for pushing, for worrying, for crowds. But for now, stay. Wait. Be still. Something is on the horizon. When you take photographs with a camera, you have to be still or the photo will be out of focus. The same is true with your life.
“Be still (Stop) and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10 NIV, writes the Psalmist.
We need to refrain from an overload of activity to see Jesus. This will mean that we deliberately choose to stop, to wait, and to push back.
Our lives comes packaged with a lot of noise. It’s everywhere. There’s music playing, horns honking, people chattering, paper rustling. The nature of crowds prompts noise. It can’t be avoided. The only way is to move away from the noise to find a place of quiet.
Look at four words from Luke 2:8. When Jesus was born the story of the shepherds captures this thought precisely – the shepherds were “out in the fields” NIV.
Out in the fields implies that they were away from the clutter of life and the crowds that accompany that mess. They had found a place of quiet. A place of quiet is not always a physical place. In fact, often when we need quietness the most, we can’t get away from the crowds. A quiet place is a place of the heart. Like the eye of a hurricane, the storm rages around us, but internally there is calmness, peace, and silence.
Find the time, and if you can, the place, to enjoy the silence, the calmness. Move away from the crowds and listen to the still, silent voice of God.
I wonder if as I ask myself, “Am I really living?”
I’m afraid I’m guilty of pretending to live. There’s a lot of pretending going on today. Are we just going through the motions. Could it be you are just waiting for the paycheck. You are hoping for the weekend so you can party till you drop. Bidding your time tip you can retire? Or are you living? Not in a hurry. Not being bombarded with peer pressure. Making a difference with your life and not feeling worthless.
The only way to break that cycle is to be intentional – do something that will make a difference. Start to focus on your passion, your calling, your first love. Don’t wait another minute, another hour, and another day! Do something now!