I have been having a really hard time focusing lately. Not on one particular thing, it's just there are so many different things going on at once I am not sure my mind knows how to process it at the speed it's coming in. Some of these things are good, and some of these things may be on the stressful side. Either way, basis of the story is: I can't focus. When I can't focus, I over think. When I over think, I get into this really angry and pensive mood. I have been doing some serious thinking about focus today, and where mine should be at the moment. God surely does not call me to be a disorderly, variously-minded person, who cannot seem to focus her priorities. He also surely does not call me to have a mean and grouchy mood about my life, or towards others. Even on my best days, I must admit I am only human. Is that an excuse or a crutch? Most definitely not...it's one of my flaws. Miraculously, I have been given the gift of God's Word, and if I really take the time to dig into it, all of my questions can be super naturally answered. How often do I forget this...HAHA. Try daily. So what does God say to me about what I need to be focused on?
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things." Phil 4:8 (ESV)
Paul wrote the letter of Philippians to the Church of Philipi while he was IN JAIL. This man, who was most likely sitting in a very rotten, stinky, cold and damp jail cell, was writing a letter of encouragement to friends and family. To make the story even more interesting, he was telling them to think about pure and honest things. I'm sorry....are you kidding me? I can tell you exactly what I would be thinking if I were in a jail cell with Lord knows what kind of varmint, stinky stenches, and feeling starved on a regular basis. I bet you can guess it would be very difficult for me to focus on pure things when I'm surrounded by all of that filth. Kudos to Paul. I am a woman after a heart like he had, and I mean that. Maybe this is the type of focus I have been called to. Not only the kind of focus that steers towards truth, honesty, justice, purity, and loveliness...but the kind of focus that even in the midst of the filth I can remember to think of others. I am called to have the type of focus that prevails to encourage other people, even while I am sitting in the darkness of unknown obstacles. That's a pretty high calling if you ask me, and almost unattainable. His yoke is easy though, and His burden is light, so...I'm thinking if I've got the Creator of the Stars backing me, this higher calling that's described in Philippians 4:8 is closer than I imagined it could be.
Here goes nothin'...
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