Colossians 3:2 ESV
Writing a devotional does not come easy for me- it fact, it takes me a long time to write these! Between reading, studying, figuring out to write about, and the million iterations and drafts, it takes me most of the week to write one post. This past week was no exception: I had a hard time focusing. I must have started this devotional 100 times.... and every time I was distracted. While I was spending time researching which verse I wanted to write about, my daughter needed help with her math test. When I sat down to write about the verse I (originally) picked, we had a giant windstorm with power outages. This past week, there was also a scheduled half day at school, some boo-boos which needed Mom-Cuddling-and-Care, appointments, and all of the other things I need to take care of on a weekly basis (basically, life happened) .... and before I knew it, it was the (busy!) weekend.
Panic!
I needed to work on a devotional! I found a few bible verses I liked and I had a few small notes written, but nothing was coming together. I couldn’t make a point. My words were just as jumbled as my thoughts. My mind was all over the place. I needed to focus.
Do you know how hard it is hard to sit down and read scripture when your mind is somewhere else? I mean, It’s not exactly an “easy read” book! So, I did what all “internet generation kids” do when they can’t think and panic starts to set in: Google it! :)
I searched “bible verses for focus” and was amazed at the quantity of verses that popped up. (Apparently, God knew we have a hard time focusing since it is a topic discussed MANY times in the bible!) I was drawn to the 3rd or 4th link down.... and at the top? This verse:
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Colossians 3:2 ESV
...And look at that. Such a huge statement in only a handful of words: Think about God, not of things. Focus on Him.
My intentions were pure- I was thinking about the devotional all week- it was on the top of my to-do list. I spent quite a bit of time reading and studying the bible and even made notes of my reflections to the verses. I wanted to focus on God and His word. If God asked Rick/me to do this, I must do it for Him- I take this responsibility very seriously. I really did try- many, many times.
My problem arose because my motivation and focus was wrong. Instead of really paying attention on what I was reading, I was trying to find a “good verse to write about.” Instead of listening to God’s heart, I was thinking about completing my devotional on time- checking the box, if you will. I know we have people who follow this blog- I can’t disappoint them.
I could have just picked a verse in the Bible, wrote a few “Go Jesus Go!” lines in a less than an hour and fulfilled my “check box” requirement. But... no-- I just can’t do that. God doesn’t want something our hearts are not fully invested in. I couldn’t figure out what to write about because God had another lesson/reminder in mind. My thoughts were not connecting because they were not aligned with HIS.
I know I am not alone in this struggle- we all have some level of distractions in our daily lives. Every now and then we may need a reminder from Him to stop letting “things” and excuses get in the way with where our attention needs to be. This life, and everything in it, will come and go. We need to keep the focus UP, always looking to Him. We need to make sure our lives glorify the one thing that will never change: God.
... and only then will things start coming into focus.
