Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)
Life can be super busy. Many activities and challenges compete for our time and attention—work, family, friends, church, sports, and shopping—distracting us from focusing on God alone. We are tempted to focus on ourselves—looking for earthly solutions. The more we focus on ourselves, the more our view of God diminishes.
Focusing on God alone enables us to have the proper perspective on life. The more we know Him and commune with Him, the more we will understand the reasons for living and the purposes of our trials. Focusing on God alone helps us to grasp His sufficiency for all of life.
The Benefits of Focusing on God Alone
God’s desire is for us to seek Him. He looks down from heaven to see if anyone is seeking Him (Ps 14:2). Scripture tells us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteous and He will meet all our needs (Matt 6:33).
Those who seek Him, He lavishes with these promises:
- He will be present (Ja 4:8)
- He forgives our sins (2 Chr 7:14)
- He rewards us (Heb 11:6)
- He will be found (Jer 29:13)
- He will never forsake us (Ps 9:10)
- We will lack no good thing (Ps 34:10)
Seeking God is our focus in life. We experience His goodness when we hope in Him and seek His presence (Lam 3:25).
Four Ways to Stay Focused on God
God is not a check list. He invites us to seek an intimate relationship with Himself. These four foundational ways to focus on God are tools to be used to practice the presence of God.
Tool #1: A Time of Devotion
The purpose of a devotion time is to seek the presence of God, to foster and cultivate our relationship with Him and to get on the same page with God. It is a two-way street, engaging God through scripture reading, praise and worship and writing. Devotions keep the fires burning in our relationship with God. The more we engage, the greater it will be.
Tool #2. Have a Place and Time to Encounter God
Having designated spaces and times to spend with God make it special. It helps to prepare our mind for this encounter with God. However, any place and any time can be a special moment with God.
Tool #3. Fight Distractions
Most of us have a difficult time focusing our minds on God. Our flesh is always battling against the Spirit (Gal 5:17). Distracting thoughts must be replaced with godly thoughts. The Holy Spirit works behind the scenes of our hearts changing our desires to those that please Him.
Tool #4. Memorize Scripture
Memorizing scripture is not for good Christians to get a gold star in Sunday School. Memorizing scripture feeds our soul and allows the Holy Spirit to use it in everyday life. Scripture is our lifeline for navigating through the trials and challenges of everyday life.
When we intentionally focus on God, we will find that He is sovereignly present in our everyday lives.
