Recently, a movie about the end times reminded me that we are sometimes so preoccupied with our day-to-day life that we become quite unaware or numb to our future and of the current events that will affect us all. All our plans for the future could be interrupted at any moment. The opposite seems also true: we sometimes become so wrapped up in worrying about the future, perhaps to the point of paralysis, that we lose the power to live today to the fullest. I don’t know about you, but there have been times I have fallen on both sides of that fence.
We made a determined choice very early with this cancer experience that we weren’t going to let it control us or let it determine who we are. That proved to be a vital goal, however achieving it has been sometimes very challenging because difficult circumstances demand a certain amount of attending to. Many times I have not done well at all toward this, but I am doing better.
If you are dealing with a long-term trial, you know what I mean. It may require a considerable amount of your time and attention just to attend to the very real issues that present themselves. But at the same time, too much focus on self is a very slippery slope that draws us away from resting in God’s presence and also draws us away from mutually beneficial interactions with others. It IS hard to surrender/deny self and it is a daily challenge. But getting away from self and focused on others and time with God, remembering the hope we have in Him…perhaps these are the best relief we can find to our own sorrows and our path to peace. At the same time it opens the door for others to discover that same peace.
It seems we always have this tension between attending to our needs and our need to look beyond our immediate sphere and attend to the events and people around us. I think that is why God designed us to need to spend time with Him daily and throughout the day. We need breaks not just from our work, but from our striving to control our life, breaks to see our life in perspective of His plan.
I hope your day is filled with times to regain focus, to reconnect with God, and to invest in others. Maybe a “focus” sticky note would be a good reminder.
“In you oh Lord I put my trust. Show me your ways. Guide me and teach me.” Psalm 25
