Matters of Faith: Keep your Focus!

‭‭Matthew 14:28-30 (NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬)

“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Being in the moment is about keeping your focus when distractions are trying to steal your attention. Your mind may wonder thinking about the argument you had with your significant other this morning, a disagreement you had with your supervisor this afternoon, an item you have to pick up this evening before you go home. Any number of things can distract our attention from the situation at hand…, if we allow it.

In the story profiled in this article, John the Baptist had been beheaded, and buried by his disciples. When Jesus heard about the killing, He went by Himself to a deserted place. But the multitude of people followed him, including those who were sick and infirmed. The Bible says that he took compassion on them and healed them. His disciples, seeing that the hour was drawing late, asked Him to send the people away that they could go and get something to eat. Jesus dismisses that idea and takes two fish and five loaves of bread and fed 5,000 men (they didn’t count the women and children).

Once all of that was done, Jesus puts His disciples in a boat, instructs them to sail to the other side of the sea, while He again retreated to a solitary place to pray and meditate. Somewhere between 3:00 and 6:00 am, Jesus came walking on the water as His disciples were cowering in fear during a raging storm. Their fear rose even higher as they surmised that the man they saw walking on the water was a ghost. Jesus identifies Himself and tells them not to be afraid. Peter boldly asks Jesus if It really was Him, that He would allow him to walk on the water also.

When Peter remained focused on Jesus, he walked on water as if it was dry land. But as soon as he became distracted, as soon as he lost his focus, he began to sink. It’s amazing to contrast what happens when you remain focused verses what happens when you lose your focus. Perhap this story is teaching us that the impossible becomes possible when you maintain your focus. Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a way to develop our ability to maintain our focus?

A good place to practice keeping our focus is by genuinely listening to what others are saying. Not just hearing, not preoccupation with our own thoughts about what we’re going to say next, not thinking about the argument we had with our significant other, the disagreement we had with our children, not the disagreement we had with our supervisor, not the low grade we got on our last exam. No! I’m talking about undivided attention to the person we are talking to.

Just like Peter, if we take our attention, our focus off the person at hand, disaster is a probability. Depending on the situation, distractions, preoccupation, and a lack of focus could cost us our lives. Let me encourage you to practice keeping your focus. It may not make you walk on water, but it will help you to improve every aspect of your life, and a good possibility the lives of others as well.

Keep your focus!

Be Blessed +++

Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial &. Strategic Consulting, and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio, Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. Listen by phone” at 626-226-1448. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on Facebook and email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The Book at Book Blues.

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