Focal Points

As I spoke of in my last two blogs, I have been getting some wisdom on the rest of the human condition. That is, rest, multi tasking, and dealing with stress. It really has a lot to do with focus. If our thoughts and hopes are elsewhere, it is impossible for us to set our faces steadily toward the work required of us.

There are really four things that cause loss of focus and dealing with the stress in our lives.
1. People - Learning to live together and share space. Learning to compromise, learning to solve conflicts like deciding whether the toilet paper goes over or under.
Dealing with the stress of all the different roles that parents have to fill like nurse, teacher, referee, problem solver, etc. Then there’s the stress outside of the immediate family with your parents, siblings or in-laws. Family can be stressful.
2. Events - The stress of work would include your workload as well as dealing with our boss or co-workers. The high demands of productivity, the boss breathing down your neck, ready to critique your every move.
Driving can be a source of tension. We can be on edge just getting behind the wheel. What do you think road rage is caused by?
3. Thoughts
4. Emotions
Thoughts and emotions blend together in cause like, things I cannot change. Sometimes the stress I’m under has less to do with outside circumstances and more to do with the battles already going on inside of me. Much of the time, our anxious thoughts have to do with something we cannot change. We get anxious and anticipate something negative about a future event and 9 times out of 10 it never ends up how we made it in our minds to be. It’s wasted energy.
We can be stressed over what others are doing or not doing. I can try to persuade someone to think, say and do differently but in the end when it’s obvious that someone isn’t listening.

Stress can cause physical ailments. Think about it: high blood pressure, Hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and ulcers. Stress has been linked to all the leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide.

Stress can cause spiritual ailments. Stress strangles, stagnates and stifles us spiritually. The biggest stress I have ever faced, spiritually, is when I first got baptized. I started out joyous, ready to save everybody! I got hit with resistance; sharing the word and lost focus.

Focus is very important and when you lose it, stress, worry and fear take over. Satan wants to keep us too busy to focus on Jesus. He wants to make us worried and upset about many things. Jesus would be telling us to slow down and focus on him. We need to remember what the priority is.

I read this online but I thought it was a interesting demonstration on our focus in life. Try this, on a piece of white paper (8x10) draw a black spot right in the center. I’ll wait till your done…

Good, now look at the paper and tell me what you see. Did you see the black spot? Of course you did, but what else did you see?

Life is like that piece of paper, most people only see the black spot and not the white paper. In life we are often distracted by small disappointments, and we forget the innumerable blessings we receive from the Lord. Like the sheet of paper, the good things in life are overwhelmed by the adversities that monopolize our attention .

Life has many distractions that can overwhelm us, even divert us from fully sensing Jesus’ peace and presence. Our relationship with Christ cannot grow properly or fully if we are living with constant distractions.

In Luke 10:38-42, a verse I shared a few blogs ago, demonstrates the obstacles within our lives.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha ," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Martha was distracted. Life is so full of distractions that people end up living for no higher purpose than to get through another day. It’s interesting to note that Jesus repeats a name when he wanted to make a impressive statement.
"you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”

What’s that one thing? Matt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Our primary concern in this life should not be pleasing and serving ourselves. It should be knowing and serving God.

When we focus correctly, stress can be a great teacher and motivator.

“Have you ever looked at the rubber band? I mean really look at its purpose!

A rubber band is made for only one purpose. That purpose is to be stretched so it can hold something together. Now, if it is not stretched, it is not fulfilling its purpose at all, is it?

Christians are much like the rubber band. We were put on this earth to be doers of God word. We must stretch ourselves out of our comfort zones so that we can be effective. One of the hardest things for us to do, is to get out of our comfort zones, but to be effective for God, we must do it.

I have never seen anywhere in the Bible that says God wants us to be all comfortable and cozy. I have never read where God wants us to have it really easy and smooth, have you?”

Don’t lose your focus!