As life goes on and with marriage, a career path, kids, toys, hurts, sickness, etc., sometimes I have found it hard to maintain my spiritual focus and I long for simpler days when I didn't have so many things drawing me in different directions.
Sometimes I have found I simply need to make choices to assist in maintaining my focus. This may mean simplifying life, not taking a job change or church position, etc., so that I can maintain the balance I need with my relationships with God, my wife and family.
Sometimes I simply need to choose to be thankful for what I do have. This morning we listened to a wonderful message centred on Psalm 96. So often I get bogged down with the day to day grind of life and petty frustrations and then I am reminded to be thankful. The speaker told several stories of people in Africa (where he had just been) who have experienced so much pain, one had lost 9 siblings to brutality and another had had 5 children by way of rape. All of these were rejoicing in God's deliverance. Yet when I experience an injustice, perhaps of someone failing me, illness or a job I didn't get, am I choosing to rejoice in what I do have, in what God has provided me? Am I singing to the Lord a new song or am I getting lost in my bitterness, in perceived unfairness against me, etc.
How are you choosing to live? What is your focus?
Psalm 96 http://www.biblegateway.com
1 Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
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