It’s A Disaster When I’m Not Focused

Some people are naturally more focused than others, but focus is important for everyone.

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When you’re focused, you get more done in less time; you rid yourself of distractions. When you’re focused, the main things seem to be clearer in your mind.

But it’s not always easy to be focused. There are times – especially when we are tired – that we just can’t focus on any one thing.

I had that experience a week ago when I was working with a committee to write a report. We had worked for many hours on the contents and finally we were consolidating and tuning all our expressions into a concise, articulate document.

After a couple of hours, I couldn’t concentrate on the point we were dealing with. All I could think of was closing my eyes, that there was time the next day to finish our task.

A few days ago, I also had a moment when I had to talk myself into getting focused. I was trying to throw a crumpled piece of paper into a garbage basket from about eleven feet away (okay, I measured the distance later).

I missed three times: to the left, to the right, and then short. Each time I thought I would make the shot, but it wasn’t until I really trained my sights on the back of the basket that I drained it.

I had to tell my eyes what to lock onto, instead of looking in the general direction. When I locked my focus on the back of the garbage basket, I put it in … and to prove it wasn’t a fluke, I did it five more times in a row after that.

When I think of focus, I think of a magnifying glass and the sun. When you get the sun to shine through the magnifier until the light draws together to form a ray that is so intense and powerful that you can start a fire, that’s focus.

When I focus on a golf ball, I will hit it squarely centred on the club face. When my focus is not trained on the ball, I will miss the centre ever so slightly and the ball will not travel as far.

In my office, first thing in the morning, if I get out my study tools and start reading, I focus on my task undistracted.

If, however, I open up my email, my focus is lost to find out who wants my attention. My mind is flooded with added thoughts, concerns, and demands that were not there before I looked at my email.

My intent, my focus is no longer laser-like; it’s not going to burn a hole through any paper.

The trick is eliminating things that distract, that widen our view and keep us from locking onto our target with pinpoint accuracy.

Here’s the thing: When it comes to focusing on God, the best time to focus is before you have any other commitment or distraction on your mind. That’s why I like the early morning, before I look at or do anything else. That’s when it’s easiest to focus on my mind on God. And if I happen to wake up with something else on my mind, I simply determine a later time when I will deal with it, so I can lay it aside for the time being.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you do to focus your attention? Leave your comments below.

A Little More Silence, Please!

When I’m studying for a message, the conditions have to be just right.  I wish I was one of those people who could study in any environment – you know, with noise all around, people talking, radio playing, TV blaring – yet seem to be in a quiet zone in their head.

I’ve heard of pastors who study in coffee shops.  That would never work for me … I don’t drink coffee.  Actually, the main reason is I’d get nothing done.  All it would take is for me to look up from my computer and see someone at the counter and I would be distracted.  I’d start wondering what he did for a living, be fascinated at why she picked out that particular outfit, or create a scenario in my mind about that person’s day so far.  Then I would look back at my computer and realize I had drifted from my work for about ten minutes.

What I need is quiet, with as few distractions as possible.  I’ve been known to get distracted by something as small as a piece of lint floating past my computer screen.  If I hear others talking, I want to be part of the conversation.  It takes all my will power not to get up and go and join them.

I have to be in a quiet mood to study, like early in the morning.  It’s then that my mind is not filled with competing thoughts, and tasks.  I can focus on what I’m doing and nothing else.  That’s why I get up early and do my devotions.  It’s quieter in the morning and my mind is quieter.

When that mood gets disrupted, however, it’s game over for me; I might as well pack it in.  My efforts will be wasted, my productivity will plummet, and I’ll start to get all frustrated.  Friday was like that because I had a doctor’s appointment at 9:45 am.

(Oh, I didn’t mention, Friday is the day I finalize my sermon.  If I don’t get it done on Friday, I’ll be working on it on Saturday, my day off … and my wife Lily is not a fan of that!)

When I returned to work after my appointment, the church was a zoo.  Teens were arriving for a youth event on their PA day (I wish I got a few PA days).  It was noisy and distracting, with people in my office, and teens talking, yelling, and running outside my office.  It’s not that I mind it when all that happens.  I like the interaction; I like all the action; I just don’t get anything done.  I thought maybe I should just pack up and go on the “Amazing Race” youth event with them.

They left – finally – and it was quiet, except for my mind – it was racing.  I got back to my sermon but it was slow going after that.  It was past dinner time, when I gave up, packed it in and decided to finish in the morning.

Here’s the thing:  There are so many competing thoughts, appointments, conversations, details, tasks in our day, that it’s difficult to find time to focus on God.  Sometimes it’s best to pack it in and try again tomorrow.  What would be optimal is finding, or rather carving out, some time in your day when you and God will not have to compete with other things.

Until Next Time!

Pastor Paul

Question:  When do you find is the best time to be quiet with God?