3 WAYS TO FOCUS

3 Ways to Focus

by Jan Cox

Do you see the heron's focus?

Scattered – I was scattered. My thoughts were all over the place. Have you been there? After 3 trips back home in little over a month I tried to settle back into some type of routine. My sleeping pattern finally stabilized. That took over a week.

Something was still missing. What was it?

My thoughts – they were not focused.

So today I want to write down the 3 best ways to focus one’s thoughts. When I feel distressed – in a muddle – unfocused – these are the steps I take:

STOP

Stop what you are doing. Come to a complete stop. Leave the task or the person you are with. Go away. Turn your back on what you were doing.

COME

Come to God. Start to praise Him for being here with you all the time. Remind yourself of Who He is. Remember that you are not alone. Immanuel means “God is with us”.

IMAGINE

Imagine yourself with Jesus. Remember the times of His presence in your life. Use your mind to BE with Him. Let go of yourself. Listen to Him.

Is your imagination stayed on God or is it starved? The starvation of the imagination is one of the most fruitful sources of exhaustion and sapping in a worker’s life. If you have never used your imagination to put yourself before God, begin to do it now. It is no use waiting for God to come; you must put your imagination away from the face of idols and look unto Him and be saved. Imagination is the greatest gift God has given us and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. Oswald Chambers – February 11.

“You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV – minds = imagination).

There you have it – my 3 ways to Focus.

So I thought about the outcome when I do this and what do I get?

SCIENCE      

(which is knowledge but this is more like wisdom – God’s wisdom)

STOP, COME, IMAGINE

So that you can

ENJOY, NOW, AND CONTINUE EVERYDAY.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being our focus. By stopping, and coming to You, putting ourselves in your hands, we find the peace and the focus we need for the day ahead. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

My Gratitude List for this week. Now I must be counting to 2000. I am at 1045. Here are a few.

  • the warmth of the Arizona sunshine healing my cold
  • clear thinking
  • hearing my sister laugh
  • a good sleep (finally)
  • cloudless skies
  • dealing with all government bureaus about my Mom’s death
  • cleaning up my desk – it feels better
  • more energy so I can clean out the Arizona dust from the house
  • signs of spring – flowers on trees
  • Snowball snuggling in chair with me
  • a photo of a red sunset in Ontario in winter
  • a peace within
  • saying, “Hi, God” this morning
  • an “Honesty” sermon
  • a humming bird outside my window
  • a cup of tea
  • restless night – time for prayer
  • “Not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult to leave unsaid the wrong things at the tempting moment”.  – Goerge Sala, 19th Century journalist and author
  • God designs trials to produce growth (from Amazing Collection Bible Study)
  • the smell of spices

Contributors

Jan Cox

Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. She also writes at A Better Way. Jan is working on a couple children’s books in which she is also the watercolour illustrator.

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