Focus On Jesus

Colossians 3:2-3 (NIV) —

‘Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God’

I remember the moment I realised that I needed to 'put to death' certain things within me. I had just become a Christian but was still living in a worldly way. During a night of worship, God said ‘Focus on me’. He directed me to Hebrews 12 ‘..strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.’ I knew then and there that there were things in my life that needed to go.

Matthew 6:24 says ‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.’

Yes, money is specifically mentioned, but I think it refers to anything that takes our attention away from God. That thing or person becomes an idol we worship instead of him.

If it were easy to turn away from sin (repent) then God wouldn’t need to call us to do it so often! There are so many voices, telling us what a successful and fulfilled life looks like and it can be hard to listen to the voice of Jesus over this 'noise', but at some point, we need to choose who our master is and who we are going to focus on.

When stuck in sinful cycles, I have found that focusing on trying not to do something doesn’t work; what doeswork is focusing on God. Repentance helps us to put God back at the centre of our hearts and our goal becomes pleasing him.

Our focus begins to change, we turn from our 'wicked ways' and turn our eyes to Jesus.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, would you point out to me anything currently on the throne of my heart that needs deposing so you can take your rightful place. Lord Jesus, help me turn from the things of the world to focus on you.