Focusing on What is Important

I struggle with staying focused on one task at a time. I like to multi-task. I wash dishes, talk to the kids, and think about our dinner menu all at the same time. I can surf the internet, watch TV and talk to Dan all at the same time. Dan loves when I do that! (Insert sarcasm here). I love to do multiple things at one time. The only problem with that is when it comes to sitting and being still. It is very difficult for me to sit and wait patiently without doing something. I start to think about making a list, reading, or writing. I can be doing LOTS of things, rather than just sitting and waiting! Yet, sometimes, God calls us to just be still and listen to His quiet voice. In our daily lives, I know I can (AND DO!) get caught up in the busyness of life and there are moments when my focus slips off Christ. In Colossians 3:2, we read that we are to keep on our minds on the things above and not on the things here on earth. I take that to mean we should keep our thoughts and prayers focused on God and we should not lose sight of our daily goal, which is to be a good witness and show Christ’s love to others. I struggle in this area just as much as the next Christian. We must remember that we are not called to be THE example; we should all look to Jesus for the perfect example of how to live our lives. Unfortunately, we might be the only example that a person might see who doesn’t know a lot of Christians, so we should take that responsibility of showing Christ’s love seriously and do our best to live a life worthy of His calling.

One way to do this is start each day with a quiet time. I have started trying to have my quiet time first thing each morning, before I even get out of bed. I open my Kindle and read from my Bible. The Kindle is quiet, so the page turning doesn’t wake my husband, since I am usually up first. I pray and spend time with God before my feet hit the floor. Colossians 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.” I have found that if I don’t spend time in God’s word, then the peace of God doesn’t rule in my heart like it should. I still pray faithfully, but the peace that reading the Word of God brings is different than the peace I receive by just praying. It is like the fuel that carries me though the valleys of my days. I am calmer with my kids and not as prone to anger, I am more focused with my chores and activities at homes and my writing is more productive. The Word of God is my food and without it I am weak.

The scripture also says to be thankful. We should always be thankful, even in difficult moments. In happy times, it is easy to be thankful, but it in the dark moments, that is when it is hardest to say thanks. That is when God is refining us to make us sharper and better witnesses. It is through trials and tribulations that we become stronger in our faith, yet that is also when we see our weakness and it hurts. God is faithful and for that we can always be thankful! For if we were able to do all things on our own, then why would God have needed to send His Son? We needed His Son, so we could be saved and redeemed. Without Jesus, we have nothing in the end. That is something we should be thankful for EVERYDAY! That is a wonderful reminder from our sermon this past Sunday from my Pastor, Skeet Alderson. You can find his message at http://www.tomballbible.org/.

We serve a God who is our King and Judge, but he is also loving and forgiving. We must seek His forgiveness, in order to be forgiven. I pray that if you don’t know the peace of God or if you have strayed from His side, then you will seek His presence in your life and know His Perfect Peace. He is waiting for you…

Prayerfully,

Stacey

Picture of checklist was borrowed from: http://www.fansbridge.com/social-media-to-do-list/