We all have something we have struggled with for as long as we can remember. For me, it is the struggle with self-discipline. Whether it’s in the area of diet, food, exercising, cleaning the house . . . it doesn’t matter. I struggle with self-discipline: – the discipline to start doing something or to stop.
I have learned one of the biggest and most meaningful lessons of my life because this struggle:
I fail when I take my focus away from God.
Peter is a great example of what happens when we take our focus away from God..Just look at Matthew 14:28-30:
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said.Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and focused instead on the wind. As soon as he did, he became afraid and started to sink. Sinking led to him calling out to the Lord to save him.
This is often what happens to us when we take our eyes off of Him, when we turn our focus to things or people in this world. Just look at the word “self-discipline” – it has the word “self” right in it. We fool ourselves into thinking we can do things on our own and only when we start to sink do we plead “Lord, save me!”
This isn’t what God intended for us. In fact, self-control is one of the fruits of the spirit we have been given. It is just a matter of diving in and grabbing hold of this gift to succeed. It’s about inviting Him to walk beside us in whatever we are doing. We must turn to Him, keep ourselves right beside Him where we belong. Most of all, if we want to succeed in anything, we must keep our eyes focused on Him.
A TIME FOR REFLECTION
It’s so easy to lose your focus and turn to things, and yes, even people of this world. Even as well meaning and helpful as some of those things or people try to be.
In what areas of your daily life do you take your focus off of Him and try to succeed on your own?
How can you keep you eyes on Him in these areas?
©2021 Raelyn Pracht
Raelyn Pracht 