Focus
Focus
“And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”
Matthew 26:40
“And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.”
Matthew 26:43
Are you having trouble focusing on what’s important?
Have you ever stared at something so hard you had to refocus your eyes? Have you ever wanted something so bad that everything else didn’t matter?
Focus can be really good and it can be really bad.
When we look at things of this world so intently that we lose focus of what is really important, our relationship with God, that can be bad.
In the above verses, Jesus expected the disciples to stay awake with Him and they didn’t. That didn’t happen just once, but twice.
It’s not that they couldn’t. It was one hour - they surely could’ve stayed awake one hour.
They valued sleep or rest, more than staying awake for Jesus. They allowed something to be more important. They put their personal comfort in front of their personal relationship with their teacher and the Messiah. And that was just sleep.
How often do we do that with something else? When was the last time we sacrificed a need, desire or want for our relationship with God?
In today’s world it is so hard to focus, especially on those things that are holy and righteous. We have so many things put in front of us, it makes it nearly impossible.
The world feeds our desires, lusts and ambitions so easily. The disciples were alone with Jesus and didn’t have all the distractions we do - and they still fell asleep.
It takes effort not to get distracted. We have to intentionally put our focus on God so that we don’t get pulled by the world.
You say it’s not a problem for you?
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2
Look around at what gets most of your time? Work? Hobby? Television? Children?
Yes, children. They can distract us from our relationship with God, if we are not teaching them about God.
If you are spending 51% of your time on anything other than Jesus Christ, then something else gets more of your time.
It’s a simple fix. For some it may require planning and for others it may come naturally. Whatever it takes, make it happen.
You have to start in order for it to be important. Once you develop the habit through a change in behavior, it will come more easily. But no matter what, you have to start.
Start by reading your Bible. Read it in the morning before your distractions begin. Either set aside some time or make the time. Nobody is going to give you anything, and that goes for more time.
Pray before you read your Bible. Ask God for understanding and wisdom. Thank Him for what He is doing in your life. Have a conversation with Him.
Find people that share your desire to build a relationship with God. People that know Jesus, love Jesus. Talking about your relationship, your desire to deepen your walk with Christ, these things will help you stay on focus and build better habits.
Take the bad things out and put the good things in. Find one or two things that you can replace in your life with more Bible reading, prayer or reflection. Write in a prayer journal, read a Christian devotional or have a Christ-center conversation with someone from church. The more you put Jesus Christ at the center of your life, the more He will be at the center of your life.
In order for you to focus on Jesus Christ you have to be looking at Him. Sometimes our walk with God requires sacrifice and obedience.
Doing a few of the things that I gave examples of above, on a regular and routine basis, will encourage your walk and it will definitely change your life.
Remember, reading your Bible is a way that God talks with us and praying is how we talk to Him.
Learn to focus on what is important.
“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; It shall not cleave to me.”
Psalm 101:3
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
Proverbs 3:7
“So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”
Matthew 20:34