Focus, Time wasting and Passion!
Philippians 3:13
This one thing I do……
I think that one of the greatest problems we will ever face is that of time wasting. I do not mean the time wasting of watching mindless television, or spending time in empty pursuits but rather than of being pulled away and distracted from our main purpose.
If we are honest all of us will go through seasons when we feel that most of our time, energy and focus is taken up with things that bare little relation to our main purpose and vision.
In my conversations with many people of influence, and also looking into my own soul, I am aware how often we live with a gnawing sense of guilt or frustration that time is passing us by and we are not putting our focus and energies into the mission, call and purposes of God for our lives.
While we live in a fallen world, which is filled with fallen people [including those who are still learning to live out their identities in God] I think this is a battle we will need to engage in for the rest of our lives.
And yet . . . I dare to believe it is possible to live in a place of victory above distraction, stay focused and engaged on the vision of God for our lives.
Here are three keys which I have found helpful over the years in this pursuit.
I. DEFINITION
“And the Lord answered me: Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who reads it may run.” When it is written down and then implemented, those we lead can ‘run’ with it and we will see it succeed
Habakkuk 2:2 (MEV)
There are seasons of definition.
There is a season when God plants vision and purpose within our hearts but I believe he also calls us to turn that internal sense of mission into a plan.
Everything that God gives us is an invitation to upgrade our relationship with him. In my experience God will never simply give us a plan for our life fully baked. Rather he invites us to explore what that vision means in our relationship with him.
Many true visions fail because we try to implement them without coming back to the God who gave them and exploring his heart.
- Definition takes time
- Definition is an invitation to fellowship
- Definition is a season when we ask God great questions
- Definition is a season when we look at our present reality and then look through the lens of the promise and purpose God is planting within us
- Definition is a season where we dream with God
- Definition has little or nothing to do with the present resources and everything to do our relationship with God as a source
II. CREATING A PERSONAL CULTURE AROUND VISION
Teach us to number our days, that we may walk with a heart of wisdom
- Moses Ps 90:12
For anything to happen on a consistent basis in our lives we need to develop a habit that will find its place unconsciously woven into the daily fabric of our lives.
If the vision we have cannot be translated into a daily action it will not be sustained, rather it will loose it’s momentum and fizzle out.
What is a culture?
Culture happens when we practice a pattern of behaviors or habits until they become a self-sustaining lifestyle [which usually lives at the subconscious level.] We need to learn to practice the component parts of a vision until they literally run on auto pilot.
Did you brush your teeth today? Probable answer yes
Did you THINK about brushing your teeth today? Probable answer no
More than likely you have practice that habit and embedded it into your personal culture to such a degree that you no longer think about it. The only thing that would cause you to think about it would be somebody mentioning it or more likely if you were unable to practice that habit. Ever taken an overnight flight and walked around a distance city in the morning feeling yucky? Probably you were not able to practice a habit that you have ingrained into your lifestyle.
- Define [in writing] the habits you wish to build into your life.
- Be willing to practice these habits do not be surprised about internal resistance or pushback at first.
- Take two minutes each day to look over your long-term vision and your present goals and then praise yourself for any ground taken.
III.MAINTAINING FOCUS
I have set the Lord always before me – Ps 16:8
- Learn to walk with your eyes on your feet but your heart on the horizon
One of the biggest challenges in steering our lives away from a pattern of time wasting is that a focus. Jesus said that when your eye is single your whole body will be full of light Mat 6:22
There is a reflexive law that I found often in my own life. Try this out and I’m sure you will find this works!
Whatever you place your eyes upon consistently your heart will become passionate about. Whatever your heart is passionate about you will end up placing your eyes upon.
The trick is this law can either work for you or against you. We need to practice keeping our sight and focus upon the right things until the place where our heart is full of them.
The danger for all of us, especially as leaders, is it while we are on the journey of moving a project forward our focus can tend to shift more and more to the difficulties, challenges, that are associated with this project.
Unconsciously we can find ourselves in the place where our heart is filled with these things rather than the reason we engaged upon this project.
- What is your heart full of right now? [Where your treasure is there will be your heart Mat 6:21]
- What are the words that flow naturally out of your mouth concerning this area of your life [out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Mat 12:34]
- Where are you choosing to put your focus upon each day?
- Pray and ask God to help you refocus in these areas.
Cheering you on!
Graham
www.gjm.org


A plan
Living from the vision