| Maintaining focus in the face of oppositions
Bible Reading: II Corinthians 12:1-10
One of the greatest lessons I have learnt from the game of football is that the goal posts are fixed in particular position and for over 90 minutes, the focus of the players are on the goal posts. Imagine if there was no specific duration for a football match and the position of the goal post is changed after every 10 minutes, we won’t be surprised if players give up playing even during the match. Likewise, many believers lack staying power because they are always changing their goal posts.
A friend once came to me and told me he wanted to get a new Bachelor’s degree. Three months later, he said he needed some money to establish a secondary school. After some months, he said he has decided to be a military man. Not too long ago, he said he is thinking of focusing his entire life on playing musical instruments. You know what? He is yet to hit any of these targets. When we change goal posts like this, it will be difficult to score goals and quitting will become a habit.
Let’s examine another common way we change our goal posts. In I Corinthians 16:9 (KJV), Paul said “for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries”. Hmn! Great achievement comes with great adversaries. New level generates new ‘devils’. But most times when the achievements come, we shift our focus from them to the adversaries, and in the process, we hinder our progress.
Your lovely spouse is a great achievement to you, but the wrong he/she did some months ago is what you think about everyday. Your focus is now on the adversaries! The clash you had with your lecturer made you dislike that course to the point that you failed it. You simply lost focus! Those days, when you pray for one hour, you spend over 50 minutes giving thanks to God, and 10 minutes making supplication. But because of your present challenge, you spend 5 minutes thanking God and 55 minutes talking to and about Satan. You have changed the goal post!
But what do you do when there are oppositions to your position? For Paul, he first went to God and told him to take away the adversaries i.e. the Jews which he called ‘thorn in his flesh’ (2Cor12:7), but God’s response was “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak”. What was Paul’s reaction? He explained in 2 Cor 12:9 (MSG) “…Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift”. Jesus Christ did the same thing: He chose to focus on the joy of having you and I, and that helped him to endure the pain of the cross (Hebrews 12:2). No wonder Jesus and Paul remain steadfast with their purpose.
Beloved, make a choice to keep focusing on your goal. Fix your eyes on the achievement and do not be distracted by the adversaries. Learn to focus on the joy that is set before you and not the toys the adversaries are throwing at you. Remain committed to your God-given desires.
– tope aladenusi |
