As I'm writing this post, we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Our city, as are most cities is in shut down mode. he times now are very uncertain. Businesses have closed down and individuals have lost their jobs.
There are statistics online everday, reporting new coronavirus cases and new deaths due to the virus. You can go on social media and read about all kinds of conspiracy theories. All the media is focusing on is disease and death.
I've written about focus and how it is a faith seed. Focus is very powerful. I've also written about lower level focus. Lower level focus is a very powerful root of fear.
If you have higher level focus, it leads you into faith. Lower level focus will lead you into fear and intimidation.
There is a good story in scripture illustrating this very powerful truth. In the gospel of Mark 4:35-39, Jesus and the disciples got into a boat to cross to the other side of a lake. Soon after getting in the boat and sailing to the other side, a fierce storm arose. High waves were breaking in the boat. The boat had water coming in it.
Jesus was in the back of the boat sleeping. The story says the disciples woke Jesus and shouting, "Master, don't you care that we're going to drown?" The story goes on to say that Jesus woke up. When He did, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still! Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm.
There are statistics online everday, reporting new coronavirus cases and new deaths due to the virus. You can go on social media and read about all kinds of conspiracy theories. All the media is focusing on is disease and death.
I've written about focus and how it is a faith seed. Focus is very powerful. I've also written about lower level focus. Lower level focus is a very powerful root of fear.
If you have higher level focus, it leads you into faith. Lower level focus will lead you into fear and intimidation.
There is a good story in scripture illustrating this very powerful truth. In the gospel of Mark 4:35-39, Jesus and the disciples got into a boat to cross to the other side of a lake. Soon after getting in the boat and sailing to the other side, a fierce storm arose. High waves were breaking in the boat. The boat had water coming in it.
Jesus was in the back of the boat sleeping. The story says the disciples woke Jesus and shouting, "Master, don't you care that we're going to drown?" The story goes on to say that Jesus woke up. When He did, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still! Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm.
Then Jesus asked them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Let's look at what was going on in this story.
The storm arose. I'm sure the wind was howling and the waves crashing into the boat made a very loud noise. Along with the noise of the wind and the waves crashing against the boat, it was during the evening time. So, not only was there the storm, but it was occurring either at dusk or in the darkness. As a result, the disciples were terried and couldn't believe Jesus was sleeping.
This story illustrates perfectly an important lesson about our focus. The disciples were all in. They were all into their lower level focus. They were focusing on the wind and the waves crashing against the boat. Their focus was on the water coming into the boat. What was the result? They were in fear and unbelief.
Where did the lower level focus lead them? It led them into intimidation. That led them into a feeling of helplessness. That led them into full fledged fear. Then they cried out to and woke Jesus. This is why Jesus asked them where their faith was.
This is why it's so very important to determine where our focus is during these current times. Many are focusing on the virus. Many are feeling out of control and wanting to know why it happened. Thus they're following and taking part in spreading conspiracy theories. Like the disciples did in the storm, so many are focusing on the storm of the pandemic, instead of the security in Jesus.
Always remember that what you focus on expands. What you focus on grows. You will draw to you that which you focus on. Those who teach and train drivers to drive race cars, will tell you when you get into a spin, you don't want to focus on the wall you don't want to hit. You want to focus on where you want the car to go.
This happened to me one time during ice and snow. The car I was driving hit some ice and began to spin. Fortunately, I was able to stay focused on where I wanted the car to go, instead of the field down an embankment that was in front of me. Sure enough, when the car finished spinning, it was facing the direction I wanted to go, continuing down the road.
The same holds true regarding anything we focus on. What we focus on grows. What we don't focus on diminishes.
There is a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System. You've seen this work before in your life. For example, when you're thinking of buying a new car. You go out and take a look at cars you're interested in. Maybe you take it for a test drive. Then over the next week or so, as you go about town, you see that same model of car you're interested in all over town.
Why is that? Are there more of that type of car on the road? No. Your Reticular Activating System or RAS is helping you notice different types and styles of that car to help you make a better decision. What you focus on expands is nothing woo woo. It's what your brain does.
In the same way, what you focus on will become more noticeable to you. If you focus on the sickness and death, that's all you'll notice...sickness and death. You'll be led into intimidation, then helplessness until you become depressed.
Or you can focus on where things are getting better, where people are recovering and the fact this won't last forever. You can also focus on God's Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit. You can also focus on God's love for us. When you focus on those things, they will become more and more noticeable to you, leading you into greater and greater hope and faith.
Remember, focus on those things above, not those things below (Colossians 3:2)
The storm arose. I'm sure the wind was howling and the waves crashing into the boat made a very loud noise. Along with the noise of the wind and the waves crashing against the boat, it was during the evening time. So, not only was there the storm, but it was occurring either at dusk or in the darkness. As a result, the disciples were terried and couldn't believe Jesus was sleeping.
This story illustrates perfectly an important lesson about our focus. The disciples were all in. They were all into their lower level focus. They were focusing on the wind and the waves crashing against the boat. Their focus was on the water coming into the boat. What was the result? They were in fear and unbelief.
Where did the lower level focus lead them? It led them into intimidation. That led them into a feeling of helplessness. That led them into full fledged fear. Then they cried out to and woke Jesus. This is why Jesus asked them where their faith was.
This is why it's so very important to determine where our focus is during these current times. Many are focusing on the virus. Many are feeling out of control and wanting to know why it happened. Thus they're following and taking part in spreading conspiracy theories. Like the disciples did in the storm, so many are focusing on the storm of the pandemic, instead of the security in Jesus.
Always remember that what you focus on expands. What you focus on grows. You will draw to you that which you focus on. Those who teach and train drivers to drive race cars, will tell you when you get into a spin, you don't want to focus on the wall you don't want to hit. You want to focus on where you want the car to go.
This happened to me one time during ice and snow. The car I was driving hit some ice and began to spin. Fortunately, I was able to stay focused on where I wanted the car to go, instead of the field down an embankment that was in front of me. Sure enough, when the car finished spinning, it was facing the direction I wanted to go, continuing down the road.
The same holds true regarding anything we focus on. What we focus on grows. What we don't focus on diminishes.
There is a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System. You've seen this work before in your life. For example, when you're thinking of buying a new car. You go out and take a look at cars you're interested in. Maybe you take it for a test drive. Then over the next week or so, as you go about town, you see that same model of car you're interested in all over town.
Why is that? Are there more of that type of car on the road? No. Your Reticular Activating System or RAS is helping you notice different types and styles of that car to help you make a better decision. What you focus on expands is nothing woo woo. It's what your brain does.
In the same way, what you focus on will become more noticeable to you. If you focus on the sickness and death, that's all you'll notice...sickness and death. You'll be led into intimidation, then helplessness until you become depressed.
Or you can focus on where things are getting better, where people are recovering and the fact this won't last forever. You can also focus on God's Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit. You can also focus on God's love for us. When you focus on those things, they will become more and more noticeable to you, leading you into greater and greater hope and faith.
Remember, focus on those things above, not those things below (Colossians 3:2)
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