By Tricia-Anne Y. Morris
This week, I’m extending my discussion to men as well, and giving a charge of equal relevance to both sexes.
The power of focus cannot be overstated. What we choose to focus on can have a significant impact on our lives and the outcomes we experience. The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:8 to focus on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. These are the things that are pleasing to God and will lead to a fruitful and fulfilling life.
The enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). He wants to bring negativity and toxicity into our lives. One of the ways he does this is by influencing what we focus on. When we focus on things that are not aligned with God’s will, we are opening ourselves up to the influence of the enemy. This can lead to negative consequences and behaviours.
I WAS OBSESSED
I personally experienced the negative consequences of focusing on ungodly things. I can attest to the truth that what we feed our minds eventually manifests in our thoughts and behaviours. Before Christ, I was obsessed with pornography and lewd music. Because of it, I constantly talked about sex, even in unrelated conversations. Eventually, focusing on these things led me down a destructive path, where I struggled with lustful thoughts and behaviours that caused harm to myself and those around me.
However, once I became a Christian, I learned the importance of focusing on Godly things. By intentionally choosing to feed my mind and heart with things that aligned with God’s will, I was able to break free from my negative habits and behaviours and experience positive transformation in my life. This is the power of shifting our focus.
As Christians, we are called to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). This does not only refer to physical fruitfulness but also spiritual fruitfulness. When we focus on godly things, we can expect to bear spiritual fruit that will impact our lives and the lives of those around us in the way God intends.
The Bible states that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When we focus on things that are aligned with God’s will, we can expect to bear these fruits in our lives. We will experience more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the qualities that will make us more Christlike and will impact those around us in a positive way.
On the other hand, when we focus on things that are not aligned with God’s will, we can expect to create and experience negative consequences and behaviours. We bear fruit that is not pleasing to God, such as anger, jealousy, greed, selfishness, and more. These are the qualities that will make us less Christlike and will impact those around us in a negative way.
HOW WE CAN CHANGE
So, how can we apply this principle of focusing on godly things in our lives? It starts with being intentional about what we choose to focus on. We cannot control every thought that enters our mind, but we can control what we choose to dwell on. If we find ourselves dwelling on negative thoughts, experiences, and desires, we can make a conscious effort to shift our focus to something positive. This could be as simple as reciting a positive affirmation, reading an uplifting scripture, or engaging in conversation that will shift our focus.
Additionally, we can be intentional about the content we consume. The media we choose to engage with has a significant impact on our thoughts and beliefs. If we are constantly consuming content that is negative or contrary to God’s will, it will be difficult to maintain a positive focus. Instead, we can choose to consume content that is Christ-centred, including reading books by Christian authors, listening to worship music, and so on.
Moreover, we can surround ourselves with positive influences. The people we choose to spend our time with have a significant impact on our thoughts and behaviours. If most of our time is spent with people who engage in behaviours that are contrary to God’s will, it will be difficult to maintain pure thoughts. So, we have to be deliberate about who we spend most of our time with. In fact, “iron sharpens iron”, so we should consider joining a small group or Bible study, attending church regularly, and seeking out positive friendships if we want to shift our focus to a godly one.
The truth is, if you’re struggling with challenges in your life, it may be beneficial to check yourself and see if what you’re focusing on could be holding you back or causing you to bear negative fruit. This does not mean you need to feel like an outcast or beat yourself up. It simply means that you need to be aware of the content you are consuming, the people you spend a lot of time with, and the thoughts you regurgitate as these may be having a negative impact on your life. If you find that what you’re focusing on is not aligned with God’s will, you can make a conscious effort to change your focus.
Our breakthrough sometimes hinges on us shifting our focus. We may be stuck in a negative mindset or behaviour pattern, but by intentionally choosing to focus on godly things, we can break free from those patterns and experience positive transformation in our lives.
However, it’s important to remember that shifting our focus is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process that requires intentional effort and discipline. We will inevitably encounter negative and toxic content in our daily lives. However, by choosing to focus on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, we will produce Christ-like thoughts and behaviours.
Passionate about prayer, Tricia-Anne holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA). Contact her at [email protected], and check out her YouTube channel, Real Women Unplugged at youtube.com/@wearerwu.
