The Power of Focus
What we focus on becomes clearer and dearer to us the longer we look. What occupies our minds fills our hearts until it overflows into our actions and our words. Because of this great influence, we must be careful to focus and meditate on what is true and holy. Francois Fenelon once wrote, “Give every truth time to send down deep roots into the heart.” I love this idea. I want the good things that God’s word tells me to focus on to take root in my heart. As verse 8 tells us, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” What a difference that makes in our attitude and our mental health when we focus on the good instead of the lies of Satan. I admit, I have been focusing on the lies far too much in the last few weeks. I hear that whisper which tells me I am not good enough. The longer I focus my thoughts on that idea, the more my life represents it.
Our thoughts have tremendous power. As someone once said, “As I think, so I am, and so I do.” My question for us all today is this: Do you meditate on God’s truth or the on world? I don’t mean on the temptations, necessarily. I will let you into my mental struggle this past weekend. God’s word tells me who I am. His word is full of promises and practical applications for life. I know exactly what God wants me to do. His word tells me that I am to share the Good News (Matthew 28:19-20). As a woman, I am to teach younger women how to be godly women (Titus 2:4-6). I am to love (Matthew 22:36-40), work hard (Proverbs 31), pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and serve as a faithful servant (John 12:26). Instead of seeing myself as God sees me, I saw myself as a person who sent me a not so kind message saw me. Instead of believing the truth that I know, I allowed that lie to take up roots. It affected my entire weekend until I finally turned to God’s word and got to picking those weeds.
What we focus on matters. That focus becomes the roots which shape our heart, our mind, and our attitude. For this reason, we must focus on God’s truths. David was surrounded by temptations and the voices of people who both thought too much of him and too little. For this reason, I can truly appreciate his words in Psalm 119:11. He wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” What we focus on fills our heart. If we want to please our God, that knowledge that we cling to and allow to shape our lives needs to come from Him.
We can fill ourselves with negative thoughts and worries, but when we do, we bear the fruit of that negativity. Those corrupt roots will bring forth pain, pessimism, anger, bitterness, and depression. But the fruit of God’s word grows faith, love, hope, and joy. If we want these blessed fruits in our life, we must spend time meditating on God’s word. Valerie Hess wrote, “Meditation teaches us to become like tea bags, soaking deeply and quietly in God and His Word so that we can better hear Him speak to our hearts and minds.” Soak God up. Soak up all His truths, His promises, His words of hope and encouragement. When we do, like tea being soaked into a cloth, we will become dyed in the color of God’s truth.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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