Focus: It determines your direction

I want to take some time and talk about focus. My home church in Toledo does a winter retreat every February for our youth group. It’s called Avalanche. And it’s the coolest place on earth to be for that weekend every year.

Over the years the Sunday morning activity has become a tradition and the most anticipated time of the entire weekend. It is dedicated entirely to the students’ testimonies. They are given an opportunity to share what has happened in their lives throughout the weekend and I’ve found it serves not only as an encouragement for others in the room but also as a major solidifying moment for the individual sharing. And let me tell you there are few moments in my life that have been as amazing as watching a room full of 7-12^th graders along with all the adult leaders listening to a scrawny little 7^th grader talking about the way God rocked their world that weekend. I digress…

It was a number of years ago that I shared this, but it is a concept that has stuck with me. Many of students were sharing places they’d come from and about removing themselves from situations that would cause them to stumble. Then this concept of focus came to my mind.

There’s an old hymn entitled, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” The lyrics of the chorus read, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Growing up I didn’t always understand what this meant. Yes I can focus on Christ, but I can’t very well ignore everything else around me, you know? I mean the struggle is real, regardless of where we’re looking.

But I began to realize that focus doesn’t mean ignorance. On the contrary focus is entirely aware of obstacles, for without obstacles or distractions focus is not necessary.

Satan has this really tricky habit of shifting our focus, making us believe we’re focused on the right thing when in fact it’s just enough to lead us in the wrong direction. How often have we told ourselves over and over again that we were not going to do something? For example: people who are dieting focus on not eating sweets. I’m not implying that cookies are the root of all evil here, but I am saying the concept is applicable. We believe it’s beneficial because we’re focused, and what we’re focused on is a just cause! But it is actually the very thing that leads us astray.

This is extremely evident when people are driving. It’s with good reason that we are taught to focus on the road, for your focus will dictate your direction. If you’re looking straight ahead, you’ll more than likely get there. But lets say you were trying to drive straight while focusing on something to your left. You may not begin to turn directly to the left but the odds are that you are no longer driving completely straight down the road either. This same concept can be directly applied to our lives. If you are focused on what not to do, you probably won’t find yourself where you wanted to be. But if you can fix your gaze on what you are to do, your odds will increase dramatically.

If you focus on not pushing the physical boundaries in your relationship, or not getting drunk with your friends, or not eating sweets, your mind is constantly focused on something negative. And you’ll find yourself walking there before you know it. You walk where you’re looking. But if you focus on living a God-honoring life, a life that exhibits worship to Him in all that you do, and healthy eating habits, you will walk exactly there. If you focus on your fears, you’ll find yourself in the thick of them every time. If you focus on the promises and the truths of your Heavenly Father, you’ll find yourself walking in the strength He provides. You walk where you’re looking.

This is not to say you become completely ignorant of any distraction or obstacle. This does not mean you will never again face fears or great challenges. But this does mean you know where to look to overcome them. You will be far more successful to look toward the light than to focus on avoiding the darkness. Your focus determines your direction.