"Focus Fixation"
By Zach Wood
Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Last Sunday morning, my wife and I attended an outdoor community worship service in Redwood Falls, MN. The man who came up to do the communion meditation made a statement about our focus in life. He talked about how it is so easy to put our focus on situations and circumstances in life and not be focused on Jesus Christ. He explained how we sometimes put so much energy into trying to fix our situations and circumstances, that we completely forget that we need to just focus on the Cross and trust Him to help us in these times that we struggle in. I sat there so convicted and with tears in my eyes because I know I focus way too much on the circumstances and situations I go through and take my focus off Jesus Christ, the only One who can give me peace throughout.
If you back up to the first verse, Paul makes the statement about how we need to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that gets in our way. That is so powerful! The situations or circumstances we find ourselves in can be the exact thing keeping our focus off Jesus Christ. We cannot always control the situations we come into or circumstances we deal with, but we can control where our focus is for getting through the trying times. I tend to focus so much on dealing with the issues I am facing that I forget to allow God to lead and guide me through them. All we need is the Cross of Christ to give us peace and serenity through the tough times of life.
If you skip down to verse four, you will see how Paul encourages us to not grow weary or lose heart. How do we not lose heart or grow weary? We do this by putting our complete trust in Christ Jesus. Totally focusing upon Him and letting the things all around us become completely dim. No, the situations and circumstances will still be there, but with Jesus in our focus, they will seem less tense and we will have more peace. It is all about our focus fixation. What are we fixated on?
My prayer is that each one of us will take the time to be still in God's presence and get our attention completely turned to Him. That is what He wants. He wants us completely focused on Him and immersed into His presence so that we are not consumed by our trials through the situations and circumstances in life.
What is your focus fixation today?
