Transformational Thought
One of the biggest surprises and curveballs God sent my way was having three daughters and no sons. Although I would never have planned my future this way, I wouldn’t be nearly the person I am without them. With sons, I probably would have been one of those crazed Little League dads gone wild like you read about in the paper. One of my fondest memories as a young father was taking my daughter to dance lessons, an experience I never had as a child. I would stay and could watch forever. I still see her bright face looking over at me every time she did something challenging, smiling and saying with her expression, “Did you see that, Dad?”
Learning to spin was a foundational lesson of dance. But dizziness was a problem for the kids. The teacher gave them an easy remedy that I vividly remember. She told the students to find a fixed focal point, something they could look for, find easily and focus on as they started and completed each turn. She told them this was the secret to maintaining balance as they spun around. As the girls steadily implemented this concept, keeping their eyes on a fixed point, the days of dizziness and disorientation disappeared as they practiced and mastered this quick and easy, but powerful, tip.
Satan entices us to spin faster and faster on the merry-go-round called Life. As we do, we are sucked into the vortex of his trap. We think we are going to the Promised Land, but the ride’s destination is stress, struggle, frustration and feelings of inundation and disorientation: the fruit of the flesh. We get so dizzy from the spinning! Why? Because we don’t fix our gaze on the most stable and unchanging focal point ever!
Just as a ballerina must continually fix her eyes on a given point to maintain her balance, we need a focal point to preserve balance, grounding and direction. Too often, I used to turn to others, or things of the world to find my balance. But they are not fixed, secure or immutable like God is. They fluctuate with the winds of life, opinion and culture. And people can have agendas that don’t include guiding me—agendas that are not in my best interest. Satan is certainly not looking out for my best interests.
Today, make God your focal point. Return your focus to God in order to stay grounded, focused and balanced. On what should you focus? Attend to His promises, character and teachings. God understands the limitations of your human condition and He knows that you will lose sight of Him at times. The wonderful part of this is you don’t have to strain to look to Him, because His promise is to be with you always. A quick glance His way will bring back your equilibrium; it will determine your daily balance. What you choose as your focal point will determine the stability and satisfaction in your life. It’s your decision, so choose well.
Prayer
Dear Father, I feel as if the merry-go-round of life is spinning faster all the time. I try hard to regain my balance, but there always seems to be a surprise that keeps me off balance. I regret looking to transient focal points. Even as I look at them, I know that they will waste my time, and disappoint and disorient me. I pray for eyes that see the truth and turn sharply to You. I look to You, Lord, to find my equilibrium. I want You to be my focal point. Because You remain constant, You are the perfect focal point. I pray in the immutable name of Jesus. And all God’s children say AMEN!
The Truth
For I the LORD do not change. Malachi 3:6
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:2
For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. Hebrews 6:16-20
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8
