How do we focus on what is important? How do we keep our eyes on the prize?
With so much going on in life every single day, how are we even supposed to keep it all straight. If you are like me, then you don’t. You can’t. It’s just not possible. Either you end up spending all your time trying to make it work, or you burn out and sit back and watch it all burn. Is there a way to find that middle ground, where we can actually enjoy the life we are living?
I would love to wake up each morning and be excited about what the day might bring. To roll out of bed with a little pep in my step and think about the new discoveries that might be made, or the fun that is waiting to be had. Most often though, I wake up and the weight of the world hits me across the face and immediately reminds me that I am not adequate, and that this day will probably be just like the one before it. I haven’t really even opened my eyes up and I’ve already forfeited the day; or at least forfeited my attitude.
Immediately every thing my children do is inconvenient, annoying, and I take umbrage with it. Work is a drag that I must slog through, and even breakfast is just rote memory. How did life come to this? How did we get here? Wasn’t life supposed to be adventurous, fun and endlessly exciting?
Eyes up.
The answer is yes. Life can be adventurous, fun and endlessly exciting; and it doesn’t require you and I to spend excesses of money or always be looking for that new car smell. We are made to think, in our daily lives, that these feelings mean that somethings is wrong, and that something can be made better with new stuff. New wife, new life, new car; bigger better stronger. In our hearts we know this is fallacy, but it sure feels good for a second doesn’t it? Then it wears off and we are left worse off than before, because of the new debt. Much like an addiction, we keep giving to it, and receiving nothing of value.
So, what’s the plan? Eyes up. We must elevate our eyes to be reminded of what is actually important. What actually matters, and let that guide us into adventure, fun and endless joy. It will sluff off all the stuff that doesn’t matter, and focus us on things that actually have value. We will reduce our load and be therefore more fully able to enjoy what is staring us in the face. It will help me be a better employee, a better boss, a better husband and a much better father. I won’t be so edgy and reliant on “me time” just to make it through a day. I won’t wake up with a load I cannot bear just waiting for me to strap it on. Life isn’t meant to just be gotten through. If that’s the goal, where are we going? If we are just to make it through, the end had better be worth it right? If our mindset is to make it to the next day, but there is nothing there for us; I think we need to reassess.
When we elevate our eyes to be reminded about what God is doing, life begins to make sense again. I know it does for me. I love clouds. I really do. Whenever I look up and see them, they immediately point my mind to God and a quick thank you escapes my lips. This little act reminds me of Who’s in charge, and what’s important. Every time I look up, problems down here shrink, in light of the truth of eternity. The more often I elevate my gaze, the more often I will find peaceful moments throughout my day that will spur me onward with renewed purpose and vigor.
These elevations remind me and push forward my desire for my quiet times, which I always seem to just not have enough time for. But all of a sudden I am presented with truth and am reminded that these quiet times are actually far more important than so many other things I am doing that really don’t need to be done. Those three hours of Netflix before bed to just zone out, become very clearly the waste of time that they are.
So, eyes up today. As often as we can, and certainly in those moments when life starts to throw haymakers hard and fast. Eyes up. Get them above the horizon.
He loves you. He really really does, and the more we are reminded of that; the better we are.