Thursday, March 18, 2010

Foundations 8

Once we decide that we want to change and turn the direction of our life, we need to adjust our focus. In the same way where we look when we walk determines the destination of our travel, where we look in our life determines the direction of our future.

In our quest to be better people, we often seek out our problems and try to change our behaviour by simply not doing the thing that we feel is wrong. We then feel frustrated and defeated when we find that we can't change the issues. There seems to be a constant force pushing our bad habits, feelings, or actions. This is because we are putting our focus on the problem or symptom. Instead we should follow the problems to their source and see where they originate; usually at a foundation. Moving our focus towards building that foundation takes the focus off the failure of trying to change behaviour that we are incapable of changing. As we become more healthy in our foundation, the symptoms then become unecessary in a natural and healthy way, creating a sense of strength and control in us rather than futility.

Today, think about your focus in life in regards to what we just discussed.

Prayer: Ask God to look with you into your life and continually help direct your focus where it should be.

1 comment:

theo said...

So often our focus is on the negative and dark areas of a situation or decision. Your comments on focus made me think of the 17th Century painter Vermeer who used the camera obscura to accentuate the sparkles of sunlight in a room. By focusing on a small point of light by the camera obsura, objects were projected with more realism and light.

When we focus in on the source of the problem, the lighter areas appear and all is not so bleak if we can name it and deal. Sparkles of light and hope appear in the dark when we focus in the right direction. Belief, identity, ability and attitude are foundations; identifying where the weeds are choking the roots comes before repentance and confession.