Why Focus Is Important in Your Life and Mine

Running ahead of God leads to frustration and/or burnout. Lagging behind Him guarantees missed opportunities and growth. 

Running ahead of God leads to frustration and/or burnout. Lagging behind Him guarantees missed opportunities and growth. Share on X

This is true no matter what area of life we’re talking about. In our relationships or with our finances,  in our careers or in our ministries, the same truth applies.

When we run ahead, we often experience trouble like Rebekah did, who’s sons ended up hating each other because of her “meddling” (see Genesis 27); run the other direction and end up in the belly of a big fish like Jonah (see Jonah 1)! I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not find myself in either situation.

Still I did … in a couple different areas of my life. One was writing. It began as a knee-knocking experiment, turned into an obsession, and because of that, became a disappointment. Finally, by God’s grace, it is once again becoming a blessing for me and, I pray, for others.

Focus Shift

My initial reason for writing was good. My intention noble. The problem was I let my focus shift to getting somewhere instead of serving someone and glorifying The One. 

It was becoming about numbers and achievement instead of relationship and service. I wrote a little about it here. 

I really do feel called to write, to encourage, to share what I’m learning in this messy glorious journey. Yet called or not, I have obligations that extend beyond my writing. And God never gave me permission to neglect one for the other.

Just because we’re called to something, doesn’t mean it’s at the expense of everything else. The Lord may want me to write, but Satan wants me to be obsessed with writing.

Just because we're called to something, doesn't mean it's at the expense of everything else. The Lord may want you to _________________, but Satan wants you to be obsessed with that very thing/person. #focus Share on X

The same can be said about anything we pursue, even relationships with others. Whenever that something or someone becomes an obsession in our lives—a goal to achieve—we know we’ve misaligned our focus. In whatever we do, our end goal needs to be about glorifying the Lord. 

Whenever something or someone becomes an obsession in our lives—a goal to achieve—we know we've misaligned our focus. In whatever we do, our end goal needs to be about glorifying the Lord. Share on X

We have to stay focused on the primary purpose God has given to each of us. When we do that, we’ll never run ahead or lag too far behind God!

^“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6, ESV

Reflections: What has tripped you up in your quest to follow after God? Do you tend to run ahead of Him or fall behind? Have you become so focused on achieving a goal that you’ve lost sight of your greatest priority as a Christian?