Change your focus

As we gathered in the room, about 20 of us, the leader asked everyone to give him critical feedback about his leadership. One-by-one everyone offered constructive criticism, pointing out gaps in his leadership style from their point of view. The room was focused on this individual’s negative tendencies. Great training on being comfortable with uncomfortableness, leaning into difficult conversations.

The discussion emphasized the power of focus. Take the best leader, the best person, the best friend, the best spouse, the best job, the best church, and focus on the things that are wrong, the things that need improvement, the negative things, and you will quickly come up with a laundry list of issues.

While the recognition of issues, to know blind spots, is paramount to a successful business, in one’s personal life, consistently accentuating the gaps, the issues, the negatives, can destroy a family, a marriage, mental well being, and rob one’s joy in life. Recognition of blind spots by a trusted friend is a gift, but we can’t live there.

Culture calls us to consistently focus on the issues, on the negative, on the things that are not right. We do not have to try to focus on the negative, as it happens naturally to all of us.

Ever wake up and immediately feel anxiety, a feeling of being overwhelmed, maybe overcome by your failures in life, or any array of negative feelings? You put these thoughts on your back and march into the events of the day, which include kids to school, a day full of zoom meetings, decisions that need to be made, a list that needs to be checked off, then you arrive back home to hit the reset button and do it all over again.

Is there anything that points out the gaps in your life like social media? If you have teenagers that grow up in social media, you know what I mean. Any post that they read has the potential of revealing a gap in their own life. In fact, any post that any of us reads has the potential of stressing gaps in our lives.

We are constantly pulled to the negative in our life.

How do we change our focus? Perhaps there are many different ways to make it happen in the short-term, quick fixes that the world offers. But, there is one sustainable, long-term, certain way to change your focus.

Approach a holy God. Coming face-to-face with a holy God, changes your focus from you to Him.

Isaiah’s focus changed in an instant as he came before God.

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1

Immediately, Isaiah recognizes he is standing before God, and his perspective changes.

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah’s response is the only response when standing before a holy God. And, God offers grace.

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:7

Isaiah’s focus changes.

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

He receives grace, he is no longer focused on personal gaps, and he has a new purpose.

Paul had a similar experience to Isaiah.

He was an angry, violent man. Listen to this description of his life.

But Saul (Paul), still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Acts 9:1-2

Then, Paul came face-to-face with a holy God.

 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Acts 9:4-5

After this experience, the rest of Paul’s life was lived on mission, telling others that the prophesied Messiah had come. Paul received grace, and his focus changed.

And Peter, he was a fisherman. He came face-to-face with Jesus during his ministry on earth, his focus changed. After meeting Christ, he had a greater purpose on this earth than catching fish.

When you come face-to-face with a holy God, your focus naturally changes. His ways become your ways. His perspective becomes your perspective. His eyes become your eyes. You realize how small you are.

Does your mind ever pull you to negative things about others, maybe something that they have done or not done to you? The thoughts cause a perceived gap and the relationship suffers. I read a quote in a book by Tyler Staton that said “when our trust in God erodes, so does our intimacy with others.” If we trust God, relationships can be healed. Recognize He is in control. The shift in focus, shifts our thoughts.

We each have the opportunity to approach the holy God consistently throughout each day. To change your focus from the world to God, open His Word. The Bible will take your eyes off the negative, the gaps, and yourself, to a focus on Him. When this happens, grace is received, fear subsides, perspective changes, and gratitude arrives.

Or, simply approach God, talk to Him. There is no right or wrong way to pray. Like any friend, just talk to Him. Matthew 28:20 promises us that He is with us always. Every hour, every minute. Just ask God to change your focus.

God changed people’s focus throughout the Bible. Whenever they approached God, things changed. And, God still changes focus today.

Focused on fear, a strained relationship? Feeling lack of hope or focused on past failures?

Open His Word and change your focus. Talk to Him and change your focus. Give Him an opportunity.

Impact others. Live generously.

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