Hey Northline!
I hope you were able to go through the email that I sent out earlier this week called Focus UP. In it, we were challenged to develop a focus to grow our relationship with God – not out of obligation, but out of opportunity. There is a song that captures the way in which we can continually focus UP this year…here it is.
Today, I want to move to the 2nd area of focus that I had mentioned which is to Focus IN. By this I mean to set goals/resolutions that will focus on the changes that need to happen in your personal life. This might be in relation to your health, attitudes, job performance, family dynamics, emotions, etc.
Thinking back to Sunday’s message, we must take all of our goals through the process of Philippians 4:13 – personal desire (“I can do everything…”) – divine direction (“through Christ…”), divine dependence (“who gives me strength.”, and personal decision.
Begin this process by reading Psalm 139:23-24. Ok…now read it again. Ok…now in your own words, pray it back to God.
This will put you in a good position to see the areas of your life where you need to Focus IN. After coming up with some areas of change that need to happen IN you, take those things through the process of Philippians 4:13 by asking the following questions…
- Is this something that I really want/need for my life? (“I can if I want” – personal desire)
- Is this something that God desires for my life? (“I can if God wants” – divine direction)
- Will I need to rely on God’s strength to accomplish this? (“I can if I rely on Christ” – divine dependence)
- Will I move now…how? (“I can if I move now” – personal decision)
This is not a scenario where you pick one question or a couple of questions to see if it fits. If I am going to see changes in my life in 2014, then I need to take my goals and resolutions through the lens of all 4 of these questions.
Is it something I want…like really want?
Is it something God wants…does Scripture show God’s heart for this area?
Does it require my dependence on God…or could I do this without His help?
What will I do to move now…what small, simple step will I take today?
We will see that 2014 can be a year of tremendous change in our lives if we will Focus IN.
And remember…you can through Christ!
