When driving down the road, how easy it is to lose concentration. You see something off to the side of the road and glance over for a look. Conversation can be distracting to the driver. Talking of the phone or texting. Listening to the radio can take your attention away from driving. There are all kinds of things that will cause us to lose focus and some times it will cause accidents.
I watch a lot of sports. I see teams get a big lead and think they have the game won only to lose concentration and end up in a close game and even losing. In football, teams will employ what they call “Prevent Defense” only to see a lead evaporate, trying to run out the clock and win the game. I call this a “Prevent to win Defense” because there are times when the team loses focus and ends up losing the game. Individual sports like golf, tennis, and track and field require extreme focus. You hear athletes say “my head just wasn’t in the game today.” What that simply means is they couldn’t gather the concentration or focus to make good things happen.
Life is full of distractions. We lose jobs, friends and family members pass on, health issues, bad attitudes, not knowing what is going to happen, worry, stress, procrastination, bull headedness, and the list goes on. However, things are going to happen to cause us to lose our focus on the job at hand and we must be able to adapt and overcome. Not easy at times, but can be done with the concentration, attitude and focus.
Christian lives are also suspect to losing focus. We get tired, grow apathetic, and lose interest. We become comfortable and lose focus on the goal. All of this persuades us to slow down, back off, drop out, and give up all because we lost focus.We don’t like quitters, we hate ourselves for giving up, and the very word SURRENDER leaves a bad taste in our mouths. Even when things are bleakest we need to persevere, hang on, not giving up, and never cry “Uncle”. We have sayings we use, such as “Keep on keeping on”, “Never say die”, “Tie a knot and hold on”, and “It’s not over ’til it’s over”. Catching sayings, but they won’t work unless we can stay focused.
In 2nd Timothy chapter 2, Paul gives us good examples on how to remain focused. He tells us to be as single minded as a soldier, be as disciplined as an athlete, and be as hard working as a farmer. Most of can relate to one or all of these. We need to be patient under hardship, abstain from wicked ways, and be a pursuer of a good and pure heart. If we can do these things, we will remain focused on the goal. That goal being Heaven.
SMILE God loves YOU!! Have a good week all.
Good post. Enjoyed it.
Thanks