I have thought for quite a while on what it truly means to see life through a different lens. What if we could see past what is so prevalent and begin to see what is seemingly obscure? For followers of Christ this is a reality from the scriptures; we can see in Ezekiel 36:26 that we have been given a new Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is one that will change us to the very core of who we are.
The Spirit is the one who gives us this lens that I am referring to–a lens that allows us to refocus on what is truly important to God and then as a result it becomes (or should become) important to us. This is where I feel so many struggle, along with myself–How do we live our lives through this lens? How do we start to live our lives in the refocused view on God’s priorities and not our own?
For me, this is where it gets tough. I know how to see through this lens. I know how to refocus, but it seems to be one of the greatest struggles in my life. I have to die to myself. I have to leave the earthly wants and desires on a daily basis and choose to look at this life differently. I have to look at my neighbor as more than just the person next door. I have to see the girl at the gas station as more than someone who I see daily and give no thought to or about. It means for me that I need to get up earlier, schedule less and it also means I have to slow down! All of this may be very easy for you, but it’s a struggle for me. I want to refocus my life to see things that matter.
If you’re looking for 10 steps to refocusing, I’m sure I could come up with them but I don’t think we need it. The key to refocusing is listening and acting on the direction from the Holy Spirit. It’s changing the way we listen to Him and changing how we react to His bidding and nudging in our lives. This is the key. Listen and act on what we hear. The Spirit will direct you to focus on what is most important to God and His purpose in our lives.
Just some thoughts.
Chris Smith – Youth Pastor