Concentration, Are You Ready?
Joshua 1:7-9 (Amplified Bible)
7Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. 9Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
This morning when my eyes opened, it was like someone had already taken control over my thoughts. My mind was swirling with what seemed to be a thousand things that needed to get done or that I was waiting on one piece of the puzzle to fall in line to handle another piece. It is abnormal for me to open my eyes and immediately have this particular phenomenon. Normally I can lay in my bed and commune with God, just say thank you and concentrating on His goodness and faithfulness. Then I can easily transition into praying for others. But not this morning, it was a morning that I had to be purposeful in my actions and my ability to reign in my thoughts in order to spend that much needed time with the Lord. I had to concentrate on what God was trying to do, the faith He is trying to build in me, the purpose He is trying to fulfill in my life and the promises and commands that lay within His Word for me. When I realized that it was my responsibility to concentrate, to take control of that moment in order to start my day off correctly, I raised my hands and just began to thank God for all He has done and is doing. I began to worship my way into His presence in order to commune with Him, and drive away what sought to distract me and turn my day into a place of concern and stress.
Life can get crazy, and we can get overwhelmed by everything that we need to get done and the time lines in which they need to be accomplished. We can push and push and let the runaway thoughts that have entered our mind be the thing that controls our thinking and the activities of our days and our lives. But is it our responsibility as many teachers say to their young students, to stop, look and listen. We should stop and get control over those thoughts (2Corinthians 10:4-6) ensuring that we get our focus back on God. We should look at who God is and who He should be to us (Psalms 24:7-10); we should praise Him for who He is and all that He has already done. Then we should listen, our hearts and minds should be attuned to what the Lord has to say for our day and for our life (Jeremiah 29:11), prayer and times of meditation are not just one sided, God has something to say, if only we would afford Him the time and place to speak into our lives. If we can understand how important it is for us to concentrate, taking control over the things that come to distract us and take us out of faith, fellowship and focus we would be more vigilant in our effort to guard our mind and meditate on God and His word throughout our day.
The Bible says it is the little foxes that destroy the vine (Song of Solomon 2:1). We would learn to concentrate on ensuring that those little things do not take us from our ability to concentrate, meditate and fellowship with God. We would learn to discern when the enemy’s hand is subtly trying to creep in and turn our faith and focus into failure and frustration. Are you ready to concentrate on what needs to be done to keep us in right relationship, fellowship and partnership with the Father? Stop, Look, and Listen to what the Spirit of the Lord is wanting of us, in order to bring us to a place of peace, presence (of mind) and prosperity. If we want God and all that He intends for us we must concentrate on Him, He has to become a part of our very DNA!
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