Fully Focused

I can’t decide which I dislike more, driving or talking on the phone. Either way, I do them because, well, life doesn’t give you much of a choice. I think I’m a pretty good driver, but if you asked my husband, Ceaser, he’d probably disagree. Why? Because I’m not exactly the poster child for “focused driving.” I don’t mean that I’m oblivious to things like speed limits, my speed, or the cars around me, I’m just not focused in the Ceaser way. Let me explain; Ceaser is laser-focused when he drives, whereas I’m more… foggy focused. I’m a daydreamer, and my mind takes off on adventures the most when I’m behind the wheel. This is why, if you’ve ever waved at me, honked, or tried to make eye contact while I was driving, I didn’t see you. I had probably allowed my mind to wander as I listened intently to a podcast or music. It’s a constant battle to keep my mind from wandering, one that I lose, every single time. I must do this to make driving more bearable. So yeah, I don’t always hit the “Ceaser-level” of driving focus.

Now, Ceaser? He’s a focused driver. He often says he learned this skill from his eldest brother, Gary, who is now late. “Gary is the only person I ever trusted to drive me long distances,” he’ll say, glowing with pride. And I get it. I’m incredibly grateful to be a passenger when Ceaser drives. I might be mentally reviewing our grocery list, but Ceaser is out there saving us from potential collisions that I’ll never even notice until afterwards.

Ceaser’s level of focus means he’s not just keeping an eye on the car in front of him, oh no. He’s watching the car two vehicles ahead and somehow still manages to be hyper-aware of what’s happening behind and beside us. How does one do that? How does one person keep track of so much road traffic and still remember where they parked the car? Honestly, it’s a superpower I don’t fully understand.

His superhero-level focus has saved us from a few near accidents, and every time, other drivers have slowed down to give him a thumbs-up or a wave for dodging disaster. Me? I’ve probably had similar affirmations of my driving skills, but we’ll never know because, you guessed it, I was probably daydreaming about my next snack. So, how about you, are you a Ceaser-level driver, or are you more of a me type of driver?

In every relationship be swift to choose peace over competition, and run swiftly toward holiness, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many. ~ Hebrews 12:14-15 (TPT)

We live in a world that’s more distracted than ever. As such, we find ourselves being pulled in every direction, like a generation of lost wanderers. The hardest thing about distraction is that it doesn’t just take our attention; it steals our identity. In the chaos, we forget who we are, and when we forget who we are in Christ, we’re tossed around by the winds of life. One moment full of faith, the next overwhelmed by anxiety. That’s why, in these challenging times, it’s so vital to stay focused on what truly matters. Allow me to share three ways we can stay focused even when the world tries to distract and discourage us. I pray they stir you up and refocus you.

Choose peace.

Choosing peace sounds simple in theory, but when it comes to living it out, it’s anything but. To make peace with people who aren’t like us, we must become more like Christ. It takes a great deal of humility to live a life postured in this manner, one where you resolve to allow God to stretch you far beyond yourself. Our enemy knows this and will try to manipulate us through our susceptibility to offence. Offense clouds our hearts and when we’re clouded, we can’t see God or His will clearly. But peace isn’t passive; it’s a decision to allow God to mould us, to reshape our hearts until they reflect the likeness of His Son. This often means that He must un-form and reform our twisted and tangled parts until they look like His Son, upright and without any crooked parts.

The reality is that living a life of peace and love isn’t easy. It’s a fight. It costs us something every day, sometimes even the right to be right. Peace means choosing to be humble, to be slow to anger, to be quick to forgive. Are you willing to fight for this lifestyle? I’m not going to lie, some days, I’m all in. On other days, I’m muttering from the trenches of my unformed self, resisting the work God is doing in me. But whether the journey is smooth or rough, I encourage you to pursue peace with everything you’ve got. Let it be your highest priority, even if it costs you the right to be “right.”

Stay in sync with God’s grace.

If we don’t guard our hearts and control our reactions, we’ll miss the revelation of God’s grace, and we’ll fall out of sync with the timing He has for our lives. Distractions like offence, envy, lust, gossip, and comparison can throw us off beat with God. I’ve learned that God is incredibly intentional about timing. Every step He asks us to take is significant, and if we’re not aligned with His rhythm, we risk missing what He’s doing in this season, a fresh revelation of His grace for our lives.

A practical example of this is some relationships. Take a moment to reflect: Have you ever noticed that some of your relationships were forged not because God brought you together, but because of shared offence? You bonded over hurt, and the foundation of that relationship was built on bitterness. How out of sync with God’s grace is that? Guard your heart and stay in step with His Spirit. If you notice anything pulling you away from His will, anything that distracts or discourages you, be ruthless in removing it.

Uproot weeds.

Weeds of distraction such as bitterness grow fast, and we don’t even realise it until it’s too late. We live in a generation that’s offended by everything, and it only takes a swipe of our phones to ruin our day. But what if I told you that the real problem isn’t the offence itself, but how we’ve allowed the ground of our hearts to be unprotected? The soil of our hearts is so easily tainted, and the seeds of bitterness, envy, and unforgiveness can quickly take root. But we have a choice. We can be vigilant, stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and uproot these weeds before they take over.

These weeds, whether small offences or unaddressed hurts, can wreak havoc on our lives. They’ll not only defile us, but they’ll poison those around us. Our hearts are the wellspring of life, and from them flow the love, peace, grace, and mercy that God wants to pour into the world. But if we let weeds take root, we clog the flow of His grace. Does this sound like reason enough to vigilantly pull up weeds? I pray it does, friend.

The person who is aligned with God’s will, who is living a life that blesses the world and advances God’s kingdom, is someone who is fully focused, fully committed, and fully submitted to the Holy Spirit. Is this person you? My prayer for you is that, as you choose peace, stay in sync with God’s grace, and uproot the weeds in your heart, you can confidently answer, “Yes!” May we be a generation not tossed by distractions, but focused on God’s kingdom, rooted in Christ, steadfast in His peace, and living out His grace.