It Is Worth the Fight: Where to Focus to Win the Battle of Each Day

Gold Brush Stroke

If you’re like me, most mornings you wake up thinking you have a handle on the day. Yet, by its end, I’m too often left frustrated and soul weary—a far cry from the joy and peace we are to experience as Christians. 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

What happens between the time you swing your legs over the side of the bed and when the sun sets? Plenty I bet, with one of the most important being what happens in your head—your thoughts and your attitude.

As followers of Christ, we are offered, even promised, joy and peace, but only in the context of the Savior. When we let our minds wander away from the Lord and His provisions, we are no longer resting in Him. Our focus has reverted to the things of this world—brokenness, pain, and inadequacy.

Maintaining our focus on Jesus Christ, then, is critical in living days of joyful contentment. But given all the interruptions, the unexpected events, the unwanted occurrences, and even the unbidden emotions, how do we maintain such a focus?

Look up! Focus on the One above

Fighting for Focus

We fight for it!

The enemy wants nothing more than to wear us out. Have us lay down our sword, hang up our armor, and declare defeat.

And it’s true: Left on our own, we should roll over and give up any chance of living a life of freedom.

But that’s just it. We aren’t alone. Our battles aren’t our battles to win. The Lord fights for us:

“Though an army deploy against me, my heart is not afraid; though war break out against me, still I am confident. 5 For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity. He will hide me under the cover of His tent. He will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me.” Psalm 27:3,5-6

Jesus didn’t die for us to retreat when the going gets tough.

In fact, that’s why He died, because the going was tough, and He knew we couldn’t do it. But He can! And He did!

He gave Himself to win the fight.

Our part in the battle is to look to our Champion.

Jesus didn't die for us to retreat when it gets tough. He gave Himself to win the fight. Our part is to look to Him. Share on X

King David

One thing I love about the biblical accounts of King David is the authenticity with which His life is revealed. His story is our story. Seasons of walking hand-in-hand with God, and seasons of getting distracted by worldly attractions and times of affliction.

Not only can we relate to his begging and pleading for relief, but we are strengthened by his unwavering trust in the Lord.

David didn’t always get everything right, but he got the most important thing right: his steadfast faith in his God.

When things became hard, David pressed into the God of his fathers. He scraped and scrambled, begged and pleaded for the Lord to draw close. He poured out his heart—how he truly felt. Then in his deepest pain, he acknowledged the Hope that kept him going, his assurance that God was still with him.

That’s how to be strong when you are weak. That’s how to have hope when you are beaten down by the world.

To beat the battle of each day, we need to maintain our focus on the Victor.

To beat the battle of each day, we need to maintain our focus on the Victor. Share on X

You need to fight for your focus. Press in to the One that offers you freedom from the chains of sin and brokenness. Let the Lord conceal you in His shelter and set you high on the rock, so you can break away from the distractions that bind you to this world.

Just like King David, acknowledge and lament your sorrow and pain, then look up. Give praise. Offer thanks.

For

“I am certain that I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:11).

Conclusion

We often wake up in the morning thinking we can handle the day on our own, only to soon grow frustrated and overwhelmed. We’ve let our focus shift from the hope of Christ to the limitations of this world.

King David sets a great example of acknowledging the hard in his situation and then looking up to the Victor.

Our pain is real. Our sorrow need not be diminished. Yet the Lord fights our battles alongside us, and He always wins. He’s already won.

In each day, all we really need to do is fight to keep our focus on Him.

In each day, all we really need to do is fight to keep our focus on God. Share on X

May the Holy Spirit strengthen your resolve to keep looking up, even when darkness sets in thick. 

Reflections: What one thing offers the biggest challenge in your fight to keep your focus on the Lord? 

I’m thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefree Thursday and this week’s prompt, “Put up your dukes.” I love these special linkups. They provide an abundance of great inspiration and encouragement all in one place. Click on the images below to check them out.

 

 

By His Grace,

Julie

4 Comments

  1. Kim S on February 19, 2015 at 3:38 pm

    Julie, great encouragement to put up our dukes on keep our focus on God. My biggest challenge is distractions (of my own creation) 🙂 Great to see you on the #livefree linkup today, Kim Stewart

    P.S. Great image!

    • Julie Sunne on February 19, 2015 at 8:45 pm

      Thanks, Kim. I can definitely relate. Distractions of my own creation, yep that’s me.

  2. Suzie Eller on February 19, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    Focus, focus, focus. I’ll keep saying it until I am . . . focused. <3

    • Julie Sunne on February 19, 2015 at 8:46 pm

      I wish it were that easy, Suzie. But for the Lord’s grace, He would have abandon all of us year’s ago as our focus continually wonders. But for His grace…Amazing!

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Julie Sunne

Hello, I'm Julie, an imperfect wife and mother of four. Life in this broken world is not always easy. Yet, joy can be found in each day through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I find it's easy for our day's blessings to get lost in its happenings. But God's "mercies never end" (Lamentations 3:22) and His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

May the posts and pages on this site offer you a measure of peace and encouragement.

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