SHARPER FOCUS
It is said that Benjamin Franklin, the brilliant statesman and prolific inventor, etc., of yesteryear, invented bifocals. Tired of switching from glasses for distance to those for reading, he experimented with an idea. He cut the lenses of each pair of glasses in half then placed the reading lenses below the distance ones. Viola! The birth of bifocals – a vision solution for millions.
Have you noticed that it’s not only our eyes that need help to focus? To-do lists for projects, goals, and immediate needs are useful reminders. But when the cares of this life have us scrambling from one thing or thought to the next, how do we regain our focus?
Or perhaps our focus has settled on things beyond our control. Our lives can revolve around a misplaced drive to succeed; futile desires to please others; inordinate concerns regarding how we’re perceived; and unrealistic expectations. If that's not enough, we wallow in a blur of worry.
Merriam-Webster’s second definition of success is a “favorable or desired outcome.” Pursuits that build success can sometimes obstruct or cloud our focus until we're blinded to what truly matters.
Paul saw through lenses we have yet to discover when he said "...one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14, NIV)
What a wonderful perspective! Paul wanted to succeed. He strove to win God's prize. To do that, he had to forget everything behind him. Then, with laser-like focus, he kept his eyes forward.
With or without Benjamin Franklin's corrective lenses, we can learn from Paul and zero in on the goal before us.
We can't change what's behind us, and only God can see what's up ahead. So, let's focus on Him and attain His prize!
By Amre Cortadino
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