Focus

“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith…” -Hebrews 12:1-2

This is the fundamental problem with any mixed priorities the Church has.  I have often concluded that all outward problems lead back to the heart.  If we have our priorities mixed up, it is an indication that our vision is shifting.

A few months back there was a discussion at the ROCK about pursuing God’s vision.  We talked about some of the characteristics of a Godly vision (and in this context we spoke of ‘vision’ as basically synonymous with ‘calling’ i.e. having a vision for the future, having a vision for your life, etc.), and we talked about some of the ways the enemy attempts to derail our efforts to follow God in His way.  As we discussed many different hindrances to pursuing God’s will I was struck by the common thread amongst them.  Here are a few ways the devil might dissuade us from pursuing a God-given vision for our lives:

1. Convincing us that it is not possible
2. Harassing us about a past or present failure (without regard to repentance)
3. Using others to oppose our progress
4. Enticing us to blatant sin
5. Distracting us with ‘neutral’ or even ‘positive’ activities
6. Perverting the vision so that we are pursuing a counterfeit version of God’s actual will
7. Discouraging us about the obstacles that come in the way

What is similar?  Where is the common thread running through it?  If I sound similar to the post about sins of the tongue, it is because I have a similar conclusion.  The similarity is that the root purpose of every single one is to draw our attention away from Jesus.  If the enemy can get us to take our eyes off of Jesus, he has won.  Even if the vision (our calling) becomes so important to us that it is our primary passion, we are defeated.  Only that which flows from our relationship with Christ can truly be considered success.

You can only serve one master.  In my opinion, that is how the church can be drawn to an overemphasis on power rather than righteousness or the gifts of the Holy Spirit over the Lordship of Jesus Christ (see post here).  If there is one take-away from all of the imbalances within the Church right now, it should be a challenge to evaluate our affections and our allegiences.

Paul exhorted us to check ourselves to see if we are in The Faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).  There is a lot out there right now that, whatever it is, it is most assuredly not The Faith.  It is not Christ centered, and when it pretends to be it does not take Him “as He is.”  We cannot allow ourselves to get off-track on this one.  “When your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light, but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness (Luke 11:34).”

Personally, I am convinced that much of the darkness in the church is because of the condition of our spiritual eyes.

Again, I will ask you: Is your eye pure?  Have you laid down all other pursuits in order to pursue Christ?  Have you surrendered all other ambition that you might know Him?  Do you have your eyes fixed on the Author and Perfector of your faith, or are they wandering?  It is only in having pure eyes will we as the body regain any sense of equilibrium in our Spiritual walk.

Let your eye be single: let it be fixed on Jesus.