It is easy to get distracted in life. One can be driving down the freeway and get distracted by the radio, a phone, another car, a sign, emergency vehicles, a conversation, and countless other things. When we get distracted while driving, there can be severe, even fatal consequences.
All of us are on a journey. It is the journey of life. And we all have goals, either short term or long term. Like driving, we can be easily distracted. When we do veer off course, we can lose sight of our goals and crash into disappointment.
Just like keeping our eyes on the road, we all could use a little focus. Maybe it is the cross we wear around our necks. It might be a friend we check in with regularly. A book that we read daily might help. For some, it is a picture or other physical reminder of where we want to go.
Lent is all about refocusing on God. That is why some people give up some things while others start Bible studies, books, or exercising. These are all supposed to help one focus on the Divine. However, Lent is a short term season. The question we all wrestle with is how to stay focused for the long term.
Honestly, I do not expect anyone to give up chocolate for life. (I’m not.) Books will be finished, and even Bible studies are short lived. So, back to the question of how to stay focused on God over the long haul.
I do not have, though I wish I did, any easy answers. I do believe there are some things we can do to steer our lives. Regardless of whether we are trying to orient more on Jesus, or trying to save our money for a larger purchase, I tend to favor short term goals. When we set achievable goals that can be measured quickly, we do a couple of things. First off, our successes will exceed our failures. We will be able to see clear progress that ultimately gets us where we want to be. Secondly, we are then more easily affirmed in our behaviors, which gives us a positive lift, which in turn encourages us to stay on the chosen path.
For the person striving to focus on God, this may be a small book, followed by a small book, and so on. Reading the Bible is a large challenge that takes, I will admit, a level of dedication and intent that is challenging to say the least. However, there are many short books that are good, and can still be rewarding.
If a person wanted to read a large book, like the Bible or some other piece of literature, do not look at the whole book, but rather start by planning on reading a chapter at a time. The same may be said of large financial purchases. Start small, and build up.
When we look at large projects, they become daunting and discouraging. When I walk my dogs, I often think even on my slowest days, that I am still doing more than nothing. Slow progress is still progress and is worthy of praise.
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