Staying Focused

By Marilyn Travis

The topic of keeping our focus on Jesus is prevalent these days. Bruce’s sermon this Sunday, several devotionals, our studies in the adult Sunday school class, have all reminded us that Jesus is our focal point. Everything we do needs to begin with Jesus.

What happens if we fail to keep our focus on Jesus? The apostle Peter found out in an encounter on the Sea of Galilee. The complete story can read in Matthew 14:22-32. The following excerpt is from thenivbible.com/blog/keepin.

Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus

The apostle Peter and the other disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee one night when they were caught in a sudden storm. Wind and waves threatened to capsize their vessel.

As they struggled against the elements, they saw something that really frightened them. In the distance, illuminated by flashes of lightning, was a person walking on top of the water. The disciples were convinced they were seeing a ghost until they looked more closely and saw it was Jesus walking toward them.

While his traveling companions panicked, Peter asked Jesus if he could join him on the water. Keeping his eyes fixed on the Lord, Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the Sea of Galilee.

The Bible doesn’t say what distracted Peter. Perhaps it was an especially large wave or a crash of thunder that made him take his eyes off Jesus—his hope for staying afloat—to look around at the precarious position he found himself in. Immediately Peter started to sink.

“Lord, save me!” he cried. Jesus reached out, grabbed Peter’s arm and helped him back into the boat.

Peter’s experience offers a helpful analogy of the hope found in Scripture. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to stay above the fray, even though he was in the midst of it. When he took his eyes off Jesus, he started to get overwhelmed. Yet he didn’t sink so far that Jesus couldn’t reach him.

God’s Word is like that for believers. We live in a stormy world. Waves of financial despair, emotional upheaval, relationship issues and personal failures threaten to capsize us and pull us under. Yet if we keep our eyes fixed on God’s Word, we can stay above the fray. If we allow its words to resonate above the cacophony of doubt, worry, conflict and uncertainty that nag at us every day, we can enjoy an extraordinary walk with Jesus.

How do we stay focused on Jesus? Ginger Harrington lists how spiritual attention shifts our focus from:

o    Our way of thinking to God’s way of thinking.

o    Our purposes to God’s purposes.

o    Our weakness to God’s strength.

o    Our preferences to God’s priorities.

o    Our lack to God’s provision.

o    Our self-oriented desires to the mind of Christ.

She also lists seven ways to increase your spiritual attention:

o    Identify your distractions

o    Pray – ask God to help you find practical ways to minimize distractions.

o    Ask God to speak through His word and show you one thing to focus on.

o    Open your Bible and read.

o    Ponder and pray about the one thing that stands out to you as you read.

o    Reflect on one way you can apply what you’ve read.

o    Write it down.

Kellie Balarie, a blogger at Purposeful Faith, writes:

When our eyes are on Christ, they are not on the world. And, when our eyes are on the world, they are not on Christ. Let’s fix our eyes on the One who provides all direction, all hope and all purpose by keeping focused eyes:

o    Focused eyes understand He is the One who provides all good things.

o    Focused eyes let the world become blurry.

o    Focused eyes allow God to magnify the right ministry opportunities.

o    Focused eyes spend time connecting with God on a daily basis.

o    Focused eyes see those that need love.

o    Focused eyes are focused on the needs of others before themselves.

o    Focused eyes are not just focused on TV.

o    Focused eyes understand that God has big plans for them.

o    Focused eyes know that God is greater than any circumstance.

o    Focused eyes know that God has not forgotten them.

o    Focused eyes know that God is alive, well and aware of all things.

o    Focused eyes know God will rescue and restore.

Lord, help us to live by Your words in Proverbs 3:5-6:

Help me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. Help me in all my ways to acknowledge You. Please direct my path.

Amen