The Need for Focus

We are powerless over sin when we lose our focus on Jesus.  Our human natures are so tied to this earth, its people, and its happenings that if we do not spend consecrated time with God we lose our focus and perspective.  Small irritations become large ones and pave the way for sin as we begin pointing out the faults of others as the cause of our discomfort.  Why?  Because we have lost the ability to perceive things from God’s perspective.  Instead, we substitute our own viewpoint and that quite naturally revolves around us.  

When we transition from God’s perspective to self’s perspective, we see everything in relation to our own goals and needs.  Sometimes when we think we are putting others needs in the forefront, in actuality we may be meeting our own needs because we desire to feel useful or benevolent or kind.  How do we know if we are doing something out of selfless compassion?  By how much it costs us.  Given the right circumstance, anyone can be magnanimous. But, when it is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or unpleasant and we still place another person's needs before our own, that is when we know we have God’s perspective because such selflessness mirrors His agape love.
  
To operate from God’s perspective, we must spend time alone at His feet.  We don’t need more Bible teaching, more devotionals, more Sunday school classes, more thoroughly researched Bible commentaries, more evangelism programs, more Christian apps for our phones, or more of anything, except Him. When we are tempted to complain, point out the faults of others, or recite how they have harmed us, we need to ask ourselves, “How is my personal walk with the Lord going?  Do I feel connected to Him right now?  Have I been spending time with Him in communion, the Bible and prayer?  Or, have I have been running around doing “good things,” too busy to sit at His feet?" 

We talk about making God our first priority, but how many of us actually do? Everyday pressures pull at us to focus on the earthly “urgent.”  It takes self-control, practice and determination to set aside distractions and our need to “show what we have accomplished.”  No one truly loves without sacrifice. When we willing sacrifice our personal agendas and our time to be with God, we will be blessed beyond measure by His presence, strength and power. 
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Spend time quietly at His feet. Whether it be 5 minutes, 15 minutes or an hour, make a commitment to read your Bible and pray everyday, just you and He alone. Listen for His heartbeat.  Allow Him to envelope you with His love, attitudes and motivation. If we do, we will look at people and life in a profoundly different way. Our focus will shift from being “me” centered to being God centered and we will experience true peace, love and joy. 

 "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." 
(John 10:10, NKJV)