Focus

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~ Hebrews 12:2

Focus.
What a fascinating concept...

Focus has been a part of my daily life from the moment I understood the notion of responsibility and that I couldn't get anywhere in life if I kept turning my head from left to right, ignoring the path straight ahead.

What I have come to realize, however, is that I have neglected to exercise focus in my walk with the Lord, and that this is ESSENTIAL for my heart to find rest.

Instead of focusing on the Lord -- the way He sees the situations in my life, what He desires for me -- I have been focusing on how other people see me, and what I want for my own life.

My lack of focus on God has resulted in an influx of worry, unrest, frustration, anger, and hopelessness.

I have been turning my head from left to right, like a restless horse trying to shake the rider's grip off the reins.

And what have I gained from struggling, acting solely on the tiny particle of my life that is visible before me? How have I benefited from fighting against God's greater plans for me?

The path is straight and narrow, and I do not walk through the dark valley alone (Psalm 23:4). When the shadows of uncertainty in the valley lengthen, I can be assured that there is the Light of truth guiding me home (Psalm 43:3). And Home (with a capital "H") is exactly where I need to set my gaze. (Hebrews 11:13-15, Philippians 3:20-21)

God's primary concern is not my comfort, my happiness, or all of my petty dreams coming true. His desire first and foremost is that I am drawn to His heart and that I am set securely in His arms. No matter what befalls me on this earth, THAT is my reward. THAT is my goal. THAT is what is best for me, and THAT ALONE shall be my focus.

This is not to say that Jesus doesn't care about our struggles in life. The Bible says that God "keeps track of all our sorrows" and has "collected every tear in His bottle" (Psalm 56:8). God is love, and He loves us more completely and unfailingly than we could ever imagine.

It is in times of trial that we must turn our focus Home, to trust in God's love and believe that "God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28), . And we must realize that this "good" may be defined differently by God than it is by us. God's definition of good is increased righteousness -- "a broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51). Therefore, even when we cannot see the end result of the trials we endure, we can be comforted that we are being drawn ever closer to God's heart, and are learning to focus ever more clearly on the perfection of His redeeming love.

Everything else is fading away
Only Love
Only Love remains

"Stay with God!
Take heart. Don't quit.
I'll say it again:
Stay with God." ~ Psalm 27:13-14 (MSG)