In His Name Devotionals
FOCUS ON JESUS
In His Name Devotionals
FOCUS ON JESUS
One of the hardest struggles we wage as Christians is the struggle to stay focused on simply following Jesus.
These are amazingly complex times. Our lives are full and fast. Between family, friends, church ministry, career, and a thousand errands that tie them all together, we live at a pace reminiscent of an agitated anthill. The world around us offers more of the same and worse. Politics, materialism, hedonism, media, and unlimited access to entertainment fill people’s thoughts and days and lead to a confused, troubled frantic existence.
Slowly and steadily, the distractions of day-to-day life lead God’s people away from the simplicity of following Jesus. The toll on the soul is a heavy one.
The weight of so many responsibilities and distractions—even the worthwhile ones—has a crushing effect on a person’s relationship with Christ. It ruins our taste for spiritual things. It suppresses our exuberance for spiritual service. It suffocates our passion for pursuing Christ and the intimate relationship He offers. It all grinds away at our soul. Eventually, following Jesus starts to lose its luster. The blessings and joys of walking with Him are crowded out by myriad tiny details of life.
We’re all human. We have weaknesses. We have inadequacies and flaws. We doubt, we falter, and we fail. Staying focused on Christ, pursuing Him, and trusting that He can and will use us only as we fix our eyes on Him—that isn’t something that happens by accident. It demands effort and a belief that God rewards those who follow Him above all else.
There are several practical strategies often suggested to help keep our eyes fixed on Christ, such as studying Scripture, praying, singing hymns, meaningful, challenging friendships with other Christians, reading biographies of Christian men and women who have struggled with the same weaknesses, inadequacies, and distractions we face, yet who were used by God in many ways. Perhaps most important is spending time with a loved one, reading together, discussing truth, asking and answering questions.
Yes, it’s work to stay focused on the simple act of following Jesus, but the rewards are staggering. There’s no area of life it doesn’t touch.
When we make walking with the Lord our highest priority, pursuing it at the expense of all else the world offers things change. Our decisions please Him. Our relationships reflect the tenderness of His love for us. We experience peace amidst the chaos. As we commune with Him and seek the counsel in His Word, we begin to understand the mind of God. Our thoughts become His thoughts; our desires, His desires; our impulses, His impulses.
