Focus

Paul said, in Philippians 3:13,  "This one thing I do......"

      Paul was a man of focus.  A hydrangea bush that was planted last fall bloomed this spring.  It was a small plant, but it produced one enormous, gorgeous flower.  As I looked at that full size, perfect bloom on that young plant, I was reminded of the power of focus.

      I find that I tend to start several projects simultaneously with great enthusiasm, but keeping them all going can become a real juggling act, and it's hard to complete any one of them.  When I houseclean I tend to be like a grasshopper, flitting from one chore to another without finishing the ones I have started.  I need focus.

      Most professional athletes focus on their one particular sport and practice it diligently in an attempt to be the best.  Concert musicians focus on playing their chosen instrument and doing it as well as possible.  Olympic gymnasts' lives revolve around being tops at their sport.  It takes tremendous focus to be the best at whatever a person attempts.

      For many people, it is preferable to be good at several things rather than being the best at one thing.  Just as there is a time to sow and a time to reap, there is a time to focus and a time to divide our time, energy, and ability among several endeavors.  If you are shooting a gun, sometimes you want one bullet and other times you want scatter shot.  In poker there is a saying,  "You need to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em."  One of the secrets of success in life is knowing when to delete some activities in order to focus on one or two and when to work toward several goals at the same time.

      I have learned in my walk with the Lord that the Holy Spirit is an efficiency expert.  If I choose to commit my time to Him, He will guide my priorities and show me when and where to focus and when and where to divide my efforts.

Thank You, Father, for that wonderful promise in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."  (New Living Translation ) Amen.