Focus In

As I think most of us know - ultimately all things come down to focus.  Whether we are playing sports, working on a project, solving a puzzle or working on our relationships if you lose focus, things tend to fall apart.  The trick is to focus on the right things.  Most of the casual readers out there are familiar with my struggles over the last year.  One thing that has made a difference is my circle of friends that I meet with on Tuesday nights.  We get together to share our victories and defeats, look for advice or just an ear to listen and we work hard to hold each other accountable for our choices.  It is a VERY safe place to share and things get said there that are never repeated outside that room.

At the same time we are able to learn from each other, build each other up and share what we have learned.  Last week our fearless leader started a series of questions out of the workbook we are using.  I don't remember all of the questions although I do remember that they built on each other.  The last question struck my like a lightening bolt and stayed with me like an out of work relative (just kidding).

The question was "Will you battle your addiction this week or will you embrace your Savior?"  It hit me that the answer to this question this really is the answer to a lot of questions.   We all have things that are struggles and issues in our lives (at least all of us that are honest), especially if we have chosen to follow God.  I have likened it to fighting a war - except that in this war if you lose even a single battle you can lose the entire war.   We are human - fallible and frail at our best.  If our focus is on fighting the battle we are at risk.  No matter how strong, committed and determined we are, sooner or later we will slip, make a fatal mistake and lose the current battle.

However, if we admit that we can't do it, that we don't have the will, the strength or the courage to fight the battle 24x7; if we turn the fight over to someone who DOES have the characteristics that we lack - we can win the war.  It has been said that the best way to win a war is to not fight one.  We have an advocate - a warrior who will stand in our place and do battle in our stead.  When we turn it over to God - when we embrace our Savior instead of throwing ourselves into the fray we can not only survive but we can thrive.

Focus on the wrong things and you end up broken, bleeding and defeated. Focus on the right things and you emerge victorious, strong and alive.  As the crusader said to Indiana Jones - "choose wisely."

blessings on your day