Daily Devotion
Where Is Our Focus?
By: Marissa Wolf
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
You’ve probably had a time or times that you have become solely focused on one thing. Whether it’s a task, idea, person, object or a slew of many other things out there, we’ve all set our all-in intentional focus on something or many things before. For some, it might be a daily routine with focus on work or even just scrolling on social media, but where does our focus truly belong?
Sometimes we get caught up in thinking about the difficulties of life here and now, and it may cause us to lose focus on what’s to come. For example, if you’ve ever had a painful experience that lingered for a while such as a broken bone or a nasty sickness, you know how agonizing it can be and it seems to just stick around and never go away. But even these afflictions are only temporary, and eventually the pain finally goes away and life goes back to normal. But even for those who may wrestle with pain for a lifetime, God has promised us that those who walk the narrow path and find themselves one day at the gates of heaven will no longer have to experience pain, but rather the joy of eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord and freedom from all pain, sorrow, death and despair. In contrast to the vast and never-ending expanse of eternity, our entire lives are but for a moment! For our lives, as difficult as they can be, are merely a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. (See: James 4:14).
Though the days can seem long, it will seem so short compared to the eternity that lies ahead! However, if you want to receive that eternal life you must choose Jesus! A relationship with the King of Kings is the only way to eternal life. For Jesus Himself declared “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (See: John 14:6). The way to salvation starts by confessing Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. Do this, and you will be saved! (See: Romans 10:8-9). This is the beginning of a beautiful process called sanctification. As we seek to follow Jesus, each day He wants us to draw deeper into a relationship with Him! We must choose to forsake our sins and the old person we once were and let God make us new through a life in Christ. For if anyone be in Christ, that person is a new creation! The old has passed away, and all things become new! (See: 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Sin is a barrier that separates us from God. This is why it is of utmost importance to repent of our sins and be converted, that our sins may be blotted out. Then we will experience times of refreshing which come from the presence of the Lord! (See: Acts 3:19). This is why we must die to ourselves and crucify the flesh! (See: Galatians 2:20). What good will being made new do for us if we keep choosing to put on the old man? (See: Ephesians 4:22-24). We aren’t called to be like the dog who keeps running back to its old vomit, but to seek God first and be holy as He is holy! (See: Proverbs 26:11, Matthew 6:33, and 1 Peter 1:14-16). We can’t keep choosing to be repetitive in our sin as we can’t serve two masters. (See: Matthew 6:24). The Lord calls us to continually deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and to follow Him! We are to hear God’s voice and follow Him! (See: Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24, and John 10:27-28). However, in order to hear God’s voice, we must turn down the noise of the world. Just as a sheep follows and obeys his shepherd, we are called to do the same with God. We cannot expect to get to heaven if we are practicing sin, but we must repent and turn away from our sins. Narrow is the way and there be few there that find it. (See: Matthew 7:13-14). It all comes down to a daily choice of choosing whom we will serve and whether or not we are willing to give up control over our own earthly lives. (See: Joshua 24:15). Are we willing to give up our control and lay our life down in God’s hands, or are we going to serve our flesh and through that serve the devil and our control becomes out-of-control chaos?
If we want to follow Jesus into eternity with Him in heaven, our focus must be HIM! We cannot save ourselves, only Jesus can save us from our sins and give us new life through His death on the cross! For there is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (See: Acts 4:12). Jesus was and is the spotless, sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and He died for your sins too. Therefore we must look forward to the things ahead, and not get caught up in the things around us! We must run with endurance the race that is set before us. (See: Hebrews 12:1-2). Running for lengthy periods of time is not everyone’s cup of tea, but everyone can agree that running for a long time can be an exhausting and possibly painful experience. But we must endure these light afflictions as we seek to follow Jesus down the narrow path. It was never promised that it would be easy, in fact, the Bible tells us that following Jesus is a difficult and narrow road, but it is the best decision you could possibly ever make. (See: John 16:33). Don’t lose focus and don’t lose heart, but stick with Jesus to the end!
Do you seek to follow Jesus each day? Do you find yourself returning to certain sins in your life? Is your focus solely on Jesus? Have you repented of your sins? What are you choosing to focus on: Christ or temporary things? Is there anything that’s holding you back from repenting or giving up control? Will you choose to stick with Jesus to the end?
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1 John 2:15-17
