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Hey, friend! It’s day 2 and I’m ready to jump right on in. Shall we?
This week, we’re talking about developing our life. As a photographer, that word develop really stands out to me because it’s what I do with the images I envision. They all start with an idea, then the willingness to get out with my camera and shoot, but that’s just the beginning.
If I really want a successful image, I have to find what I’m looking for through the lens of my camera, then lock the focus in. That focus is a MUST. Without it, the point of the picture would be lost in a sea of blurr and distractions and I would never get to the ideal image I have in mind.
Can you relate? Maybe not in photography, but in your life?
How many times have you found yourself knowing where you want to go and who you want to be, but then drifting off course and getting caught up in distractions due to a lack of focus? I know, I know. Me, too! Way too easy to get caught in that trap, isn’t it?
Check out this verse, though!
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14
There it is! The recipe for focus, tucked right into Philippians! Did you catch it?
We ...
- Forget what is behind ... by giving to God all the regrets and things we wish we could go back and change.
- Strain toward what is ahead ... by remembering the worth of what we’re aiming for.
- Press on toward the goal ... by choosing daily to move in the direction God is calling us.
Forget, strain, then press on!
Make no mistake, though — those are not passive words. They require ACTION and EFFORT on our part. But check out what author Chrystal Evans Hurst says on page 181 of She’s Still There:
“Desires become decisions when they are connected to an action.”
In other words, that action is how we start moving from “I wish” to “I will!” And it all starts by keeping our eyes on the prize.
So. Are you ready to take action? Are you ready to focus?
-Stacy
Reflect and Respond:
Which part of Philippians 3:13b-14 is the hardest for you — forgetting what is behind, straining toward what is ahead, or pressing on toward the goal? What keeps you from doing so?