Focus and Don’t Quit! 1-19-25

Welcome to the word for the week. Let’s get straight to the point again this week. Most of you are familiar with the phrase you can do anything you put your mind to. We were taught that as kids and it was a way to get us to not want to give up so easily. When things were tough someone would tell you that you can do it if you put your mind to it. It did not matter if it was homework, a test, something we were trying to do outside, learning how to swim, or anything else. Most of us come from the era of one size fits all so the easiest way to motivate us was to tell us we can do it if we put our mind to it. There were two lessons in this statement and they were focus and not quitting. We had to focus on what was in front of us and not be so quick to want to give up. In other words, we had to at least try before we could say what we could not do.

Now let’s apply those points to our daily lives. What gets the most attention in your life? What do you spend the most time thinking about? What concerns you the most in your life at this moment? Now let’s look at those questions and add one more part to it. In spite of all of those things that may be pressing to you at the moment, what else do you still have to do? Let’s face a hard reality for a moment. In life you will soon discover that no matter what else you may have going on, there are certain other things that still need to be done. You may want to focus on one thing at a time but the truth is the other things in your life must still be attended to. This is not about multitasking in various areas of your life. This is about realizing that in spite of your troubles there are still other areas of your life you need to pay attention to.

Now let’s deal with the focus part first. Those things that you listed earlier can either be a setup for something great or a distraction. Everything in front of you does not always require all of your attention. When you are driving you know how to look at the sign for your turn and still focus on the road ahead of you. You will find yourself having to encourage others at the very times you need encouragement yourself. You will find yourself having to pray for others while you need prayer. The point is there are some things that you cannot simply change. There is one thing you can always do and that is to stay before God. If you want to learn how to navigate through hardships and roadblocks in life, you will have to learn how to stay before God. The point is to keep God as the center of your focus at all times. You will be surprised at how little some things become when you place God first!

Now let’s look at the last part which is not quitting. There is a poem called Don’t Quit. A part in one of the lines says “often the goal is nearer than”. Yes, it goes on to say more but focus on that part only for now. The goal of completion is often nearer than we think. The moment of our breakthrough is often nearer than we expect. Our time of growth is often nearer than we know. Our season of favor is often more than we can imagine. To tag on to a something that is written on your automobile mirror, the objects you see are closer than they appear. In other words, if you can see it then it is already here. What looks to be so far away is actually a lot closer than you think once it is within your view. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a reminder to us that we are being cheered on by those who did not quit. I need to close with these following points this week. You need to align yourself with people who are focused on not giving up. You need to surround yourself with people who will not let you give up. You do not need yes people in your circle in this season. You need people who can tell you no for your good to keep you from going down the wrong pathways. You need people to tell you yes you can when you feel like giving up. In other words, you need people who are balanced in Christ because iron sharpens iron. Stay focused and complete your God-given assignments!

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you in His grace,
Bishop Carlos J. Lennon