David's Deliberations . . .

Change Your Focus for a Better View

Take a minute to look around the room, noticing and focusing on everything that's red--any shade will do: brick red, fire-engine red, burgundy, maroon, even pink.

Don't over-think the process, just commit to memory everything you see that is red. Don't write anything down, simply use whatever memory or recall method you feel will give you the best result. You may not remember everything red, but that's not the point of this experiment.

Now close your eyes for a minute or two.

With your eyes still closed, try to name everything in the room that is a shade of brown!

When you can't think of anything else in the room that is brown, open your eyes. You'll instantly see all the things in the room that are. Some things you haven't noticed in a long time, will be obvious.

When you view a familiar object with a totally different focus--a room, relationship, career, health, and most importantly, your faithfulness to the Lord--what was nearly invisible is now immediately apparent and even obvious.

When we have a narrow focus on the negatives in life and in the world, we can miss the rest of what's there--the potential, the blessings, the joy, the good. When we look for bad, we'll find it easily--there's so much of it out there. Expect rejection; you'll find it. Search for problems; you'll find some, and may never see the solutions. On the other hand, if we focus on the good things, the bad things tend to fade from our thoughts:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)

How's your view? I hope it is filled with

Grace and peace,
--David

—David Carl Swanson