By Pastor Andrew Farland
In a race, horses wear blinders to keep them from looking behind or to the sides. If they were able to look around, they would get distracted and veer off course. I don’t know about you, but it’s not just horses that can be easily distracted.
Near the end of His life, before He was arrested, Jesus asked His closest friends to stay awake and keep watch while He went by Himself to pray. The Bible tells us in Matthew 23:40 that when Jesus came back, He found His friends asleep. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?!” Jesus asked. So, don’t feel guilty for losing focus. Jesus’ very own disciples forgot their blinders.
The truth is that God wants you to get better at this. He wants you to put distractions in their proper place. In other words, He wants you to keep the main thing the main thing. When you find yourself getting distracted today at work, home, or wherever you are, try out these three steps for staying focused on God:
1. Pause and pray. This should always be your first response to the good, bad, confusing, and distracting.
2. Minimize what you don’t have to immediately do. Just like you do on the computer, minimize the window of whatever can wait to be completed.
3. Memorize Isaiah 26:3 that says, “God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in Him.”
May God give you the strength and wisdom to keep Him front and center in your mind and soul.
Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Be encouraged today because God is with you.
