Why?
- Because I am a citizen of heaven.
- Because I have been bought with a price.
- Because God offers me a deep satisfaction that cannot be found anywhere else.
- Because I have been charged as a steward of God's grace.
- Because this life is fleeting, it is but a vapor, so I ought to use what little time I have focusing on that which is really, truly important in light of eternity.
- Because it is my highest calling to know God and bring Him glory.
Such a massive objective as intentionally focusing my entire life seems overwhelming and it is hard to even know where to begin. It turns out that intentional focus is actually quite simple, though not always easy. All I really have to do to intentionally focus my entire life is fix my eyes on Jesus! This requires a singular focus and forgetting what lies behind and pressing on toward my goal. I recognize Jesus as the bread (my sustenance), the light (illuminating my way), the good shepherd (sacrificially leading and protecting me), and the way to find life in God. Jesus equips me with His Spirit and is living and active in me as I seek to follow Him. My role is to seek His will and imitate Him by following His example.
Intentional focus begins in my mind. I will act on what I allow myself to believe. My behavior reflects what I allow myself to dwell on and therefore I must seek to dwell on those things which honor God. Easier said than done, which is why I must invite the Spirit to renew my mind by continually giving thanks to God. Furthermore, I must recognize the spiritual battle going on for my mind and I must chose to take every thought captive to Christ. As a benefit, my renewed mind will be able to determine the will of God which will certainly guide me as I bring intentional focus to other areas of my life.
For me, my marriage is a significant area of my life and certainly an important area in which I ought to intentionally strive for God's glory. Glorifying God in my marriage involves understanding the unique purpose for which God created women and the unique role that He calls women to as imitators of Christ in their marriages. The Bible tells me that I was created as a companion-helper for my husband and also indicates that women have great influence in their relationships which can be used for good or evil. The Bible also makes clear women's unique call to imitate Christ in humble submission within their marriages. Not because their husbands do or don't deserve it, but because this is how they glorify God.
God made me for relationship with Him, but also for relationship with others. He goes so far as to intertwine Himself as the "third cord" in my friendships (Ecc. 4:12). Friendship is intended, not only to bring me comfort and joy, but also to sharpen me and make me a better person. In bringing intentional focus to this are of my life I ought to seek to cultivate relationship-building qualities in my character through the Spirit like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and graceful speech. These characteristics displayed by believers will serve to unite believers together in one body working together for the purpose of glorifying God just as He intended. Ultimately, it should be brotherly love, like Jesus displays toward me, that binds me together with my friends.
As a parent I have a truly awesome responsibility for passing on my faith heritage to the next generation. Only God Himself can capture my children's hearts for the kingdom, but God Himself is also very clear in His commands to parents regarding setting their children on the right path. It is my responsibility to teach my children Scripture to guide and equip them for a life of faith. It is my responsibility to create a home environment where my children are surrounded by and frequently reminded of God's commands. It is my responsibility to share both Bible stories witnessing to God's greatness and also my personal faith stories witnessing to God's work in my own life. My children should see in me the difference a life of faith makes. "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior" (Ps 127), parents have the opportunity to direct children down a path to become world changers. What a gift it is that I get to participate in bringing glory to God and impacting His kingdom for generations to come in this way! Children truly are a gift from the Lord. A gift which I have the awesome privilege and great responsibility of stewarding well for His glory.
The concept of stewarding the gifts God has given me extends into my ministry. By His grace, I was born with God-given talents and by His grace, He continues to bestow spiritual gifts of special abilities when I receive the Spirit. These grace-gifts are not for me but for the glory of God and I must take care to steward them well! Considering that as a believer, I belong to all other believers as a part of the same body, I ought to devote myself, and my gifts, to brotherly love, following the ultimate example of Jesus who laid down His life for me in brotherly love. The ministries I am to pour my gifts into will be as unique as God created and gifted me, but the Bible does describes a worthy woman as one who devotes herself to good works in her marriage, motherhood, hospitality, service to the church, and assistance to those in need. This description paints broad strokes for what my ministries might include and demands that I look at the roles I already posses as wife and mother as ministries as well.
God is interested in my whole being, not only spiritual, but physical as well. In regards to my health I must begin with the belief that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in order to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. This perspective brings significance to how I take care of my physical body. The body is also a gift from God to be used for His glory. Not everything that seems desirable to me is actually good for me and I must continue to seek God's will regarding how I treat my body; what I put in it, what I do to it, and what I put on it. I take comfort and joy in knowing that there will come a day when God will take my corrupt, mortal, weak, dishonorable body wracked with the consequences of sin, and glorify it for the rest of eternity! Focusing on this and God's other promises motivates me to cleanse myself from defilement both physically and spiritually.
The overwhelming themes I have noticed as I have studied these areas of my life over the past 8 weeks are capturing my thoughts to Christ and taking seriously my role as a steward. It seems that the key to fixing my eyes on Jesus is to invite the Spirit to renew my mind and take every thought captive to Christ by choosing to believe God's truth revealed in His word. One thought in particular that has been transformative to my thought processes and behaviors is that everything is a gift of God's grace and ultimately belongs to Him. Therefore, I am only a steward of God's grace in my life. What a simultaneous gift and responsibility! My marriage, my children, my friendships, my gifts and abilities, and even my physical body belong to God and are a gift of grace to me. How thrilling that He allows me to be an active participant in bringing Him glory through these things!
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
~Hebrews 12:1-3
If you are interested in Intentionally Focusing your life for the glory of God, check out the 8 week Intentionally Focused scripture reading guide at Good Morning Girls (goodmorninggirls.org). Or join us for our next 4 week study beginning a week from tomorrow on the Importance of Easter. Let me know if you need help or encouragement getting started!
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