Focus: It’s Un-Habitual
Focus is crucial to accomplishing any goal.
In the process of sorting the beans (pun intended) of life, we have to figure out which ones we spend more time focusing on.
Some slip through the cracks, while others we cannot neglect.
One of these we know we cannot neglect our focus on our relationship with Jesus.
In this relationship there are a few distinct aspects that every Christian ought to be focusing on.
They are like hinges to a door that need greased in order to stay free-swinging.
Some of the hinges a Christian should always be greasing are:
Of course there are more, but why should we focus on these?
The first in the list—Prayer—is something I have not the ability to speak with much authority.
I say this because my prayer life is nothing less than spontaneous. I pray all the time but not like some prayer warriors.
If you are like me, you pray in the morning—something short. You pray little prayers throughout the day. You keep an “antenna” up to have continual conversation with God.
But this is not focused prayer. Focused prayer is good. And you and I should do it.
In fact, stop reading this and go pray. Now.
Prayer is the fundamental element in a God-to-man relationship.
If we need the Spirit of God to intercede for us continually because we do not know how to pray, then that should tell us this is something we need to work on.
We should always pray. When you do, great things can happen.
But let us not pray without understanding
We need to keep in mind that we have a mind—in case you didn’t know.
And it’s okay to use it.
It’s okay to pray “Jesus, please just do some cool stuff.” Believe me, this is fine.
But you also need to be intentional about your prayers, especially when you are praying for others.
Contrary to the popular notion that ignorance is bliss, we need to understand what it is we are praying for and why.
We don’t pray to God to manipulate Him to invoke His blessings upon us.
We pray because we need Him. We desire Him. We adore Him. We want Him. And without Him, we feel lost.
And to have an understanding of how to pray, we need to be reading Scripture. A lot.
Which will not only guide us in prayer, but also in discernment.
And let us not understand without worshiping
Yes. You heard me right.
God wants your intellect. But he also wants your heart.
If we think for a moment we can receive the blessings of God by intellect alone, we have deceived ourselves.
We can have all the right doctrine and theology up our sleeves and still be far from God.
Therefore, the disciple of Jesus will not only pray and seek understanding, but he will worship Jesus.
I believe this is a major indicator that separates the wheat from the tares.
Those who find their intellect kindled in the Scriptures will also surrender that intellect to God, trust in His goodness more than their own brainpower, and all along praise Him for it all.
In order to be effective in our prayer, understanding, and worship, we need to focus
Focus is key to having clear vision. But I have trouble learning how to balance.
So tell me, how do you balance these crucial elements in order to remain effective in your spiritual growth?
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A wonderful blog to read this day. Bless you.
Thanks Sandy. I hope God has ministered to you through it.
God bless!
My recent post Focus: It’s Un-Habitual
Thanks for this food for thought, Jon, it's come at a great time. I am not good at focusing in general, and especially when a big change turns the normal functioning of the household in its ear. That happened over the weekend, as one of our church's Deacons called on Friday and asked us if we could take in a young couple left stranded in the cold with a baby on the way. While they've settled in wonderfully and it feels so good to help them get back on their feet, it's definitely caused a big change in the daily routine–and that has caused my devotions and prayer life to suffer tremendously.
At the same time, it's giving what I have learned as a Christian its first real beyond-the-family test run. Instead of inward-turning meditations, I'm being put in the position of extending grace and mercy, and living out the Word as I interact with my temporary tenants.
I guess you could say, my 'doxy is losing muscle tone but my 'praxy is getting a workout. I need to find my equilibrium again!
Wow. I pray all will work out in your home. That's a big responsibility to take someone in like that. I can see how it would be a time of testing. I pray you remain faithful in your words, deeds, and thoughts.
My recent post Focus: It’s Un-Habitual
Now that some time has passed and everyone's settled into a routine, I can say that things have turned out absolutely beautifully–God be praised! The young couple have been able to build up some money that will help them, and they are always helping out around the house. We've had numerous conversations about Christ and Him crucified that have gone a long way toward increasing their faith. The Spirit has been doing a major number on their hearts and their delight and confidence is infectious. Last night I listened to them as they lay in the next room, singing softly to the baby in her belly. It brought me to tears of joy…
Wow. That's really great. Praise God!
Thanks for sharing!
My recent post T.H.I.N.C., Christ-Centered Bible Study, Part 5
That was a good post! The way you highlighted focused prayer reminded me of those guys whose knees had worn out a place in the carpet beside their bed. I guess the men with a heart for prayer only had such because they had linked focus-Bible-worship together. That makes prayer a duty and delight.
My recent post Meditation: Modeling the 3-Step Process
Man, I can't even begin to imagine wearing out the carpet by continuous prayer on my knees. What prayer giants!
My recent post Focus: It’s Un-Habitual
And by the way, I think there is another one of those prayer warriors emerging among us.
My recent post Focus: It’s Un-Habitual
Great line: "Those who find their intellect kindled in the Scriptures will also surrender that intellect to God, trust in His goodness more than their own brainpower, and all along praise Him for it all."
We live in a culture bent on anti-intellectualism and suggestions that people are educated beyond good use, but that doesn't mean that God didn't give us a brain to use it and work it. In fact, we can't, I'd argue, grow spiritually without exercising our brain.
Good post.
Certainly so. I've actually wrote a paper on why understanding the deity of Christ is essential for Christian spiritual development. I really enjoyed writing that paper. But as one of my respected professors said, we must not allow our intellect become our God, but worship Him through it by surrendering it to Him. And this does not mean abandoning it, it means stewarding it.
Thank God Christianity does not impose the abandonment of the mind!
My recent post Focus: It’s Un-Habitual