3 Powerful Ways Stay Focused
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. [1 Thessalonians 4:11]
This message resonated with me on a personal level because I’ve had a tendency in the past to frequently shift my business focus or change jobs, as to how people switch their underwear. It wasn’t always a deliberate choice, but rather driven by the necessity to follow the money as a single woman, ensuring I could sustain myself. Will talk about this more in another message, but I was intensely focused on my goals until a shiny penny came rolling by. (oh those darn shiny pennies).
These concepts based on one scripture have made an impact on how I will FOCUS going forward. As we conclude this remarkable year and step into a new one, these principles will serve as a solid foundation to help us stay focused on the path that God has set before us in 2024.
MAKE IT YOUR GOAL TO LIVE A QUIET LIFE
A quiet life to me means one without stress or strife. This is how I do live my life and I am very careful not to let drama or any drama kings or queens occupy my time or mind. Living a quiet life is being careful who we allow to speak into our lives or who we get advice from. Living a quiet life means taking time with the Lord and LISTENING to the Holy Spirit guiding us.
When we decide to live a quiet life, we will have:
- Clarity
- Growth
- Direction
All three of these things are important for peace in our lives. We should want to grow spiritually in the Lord, we should want clarity on God’s plan for our lives, and when we are quiet, we will know the next step.
The Lord is in the quiet moments. Look at these scriptures below, Elijah was looking for God in all the other scary and noisy things happening, but when he stood still, in the quiet, God spoke. Powerful!!
Go out and stand before me on the mountain, the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [1 Kings 19:11-13]
The Holy Spirit’s leading can be found and heard in the quiet life.
I was given a vision years ago, but I wasn’t as grounded in the Word as I am now. When that vision was given, I said awesome, thank you Lord, and I took off running trying to make this vision come to pass. Now, we don’t want to become passive or stuck and never do anything, but we need to listen to the Holy Spirit leading for the next step, for clarity and guidance. Take a look at all these scriptures when we do things on our own without being quiet.
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. [Proverbs 14:12]
Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. [Proverbs 14:15]
People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. [Proverbs 21:2]
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. [Proverbs 3:7]
There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise. [Proverbs 26:12]
The noise around us shouldn’t be how we make decisions. Let me give you an example of what I mean. I was living in Belize for a few years and was teaching the Belizean women how to build a business and create their own income, so they could get away from their abusive boyfriends or husbands. Not too long into this process of working through God’s plan, things fell apart, and I decided to come back to the States.
I had listened to the noise that was happening around me, loss of income, loss of my home, people getting mad at me for teaching the Word, my life being threatened by the men who were losing their girlfriends etc.
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. [Romans 14:12]
Looking back, I should have been:
- Been asking the Lord, what is your direction?
- Seeking the Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?
- I should have confirmed it with the Word.
- Then I should have been quiet and listened for directions.
I share these thoughts so that we can grow and learn together and ask these questions going forward.
Growth comes from faithfulness, faithfulness isn’t loud – its in the quiet. Faithfulness is quiet.
Live a quiet life and our testimony will be loud (love this)
Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. [Matthew 6:1-6]
MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS
Don’t get distracted by looking at what others are doing. Oh my goodness, I made this mistake all too many times in the business world. I would see how someone else was making buckets of money, having success, or obtaining clients and I’d have to try those strategies – instead of staying focused on the plan that was set before me. Yes, this was when I was a believer. There were times when I thought I was following the leading of the Holy Spirit, but looking back if I would be honest I was following my desires to get ahead and not being quiet and listening.
Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. [Proverbs 4:25-27]
Be satisfied with what God has given us to do in THIS MOMENT. Where do I begin on this point? I was always looking to where I wanted to be and would be so frustrated with where I was. I was not enjoying the journey and would eventually sabotage everything I was working towards with my frustration and pride of not being where I wanted to be.
This is such an important concept to be satisfied doing what God wants us to do in the NOW. The scripture below says to be faithful in the little things, be faithful with small beginnings, and work with what we have now. Basically, if we are not faithful to do what He has already asked us to do, He is not going to give us any more responsibility. If He can’t trust us with what He has already given us, how can He give us more? (ouch)
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. [Luke 16:10]
Stop comparing yourself to others. Has anyone else been there? Raise your hand, please tell me I’m not the only one. Urgh, this is a tough one. Guilty, on all accounts. I would look at someone in the same industry who started their business and in six months they were a millionaire. (this was when I was making well over six figures). I would wonder, hey what the heck am I doing wrong, what am I missing, what else should I be doing, I would get distracted, and then start something else that might be the better money maker…
Let me tell you right now that comparing ourselves will kill our joy, it will dampen our passion, and distract us to the point of losing direction and focus. Girlfriends, we need to stay grounded in who we are in Christ and stay on the path that God has us on without looking at anyone else.
Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: Those unwilling to work will not get to eat. Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. [2 Thessalonians 3:10-11]
If we are wasting time comparing ourselves to others and going down that deep dark rabbit hole, we will miss out on what God wants us to do. Do NOT be distracted from the plans God has for us while looking at the plans of others!! 😊
Then Jesus told him, “Follow me. Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you? Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord? Jesus replied, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me. So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? (mind your own business) [John 21:19-23]
Did you catch what Jesus said about us comparing ourselves to others? Bottom line, he said, follow Him, mind your own business, and don’t get distracted by looking at someone else’s plan.
WORK WITH YOUR HANDS
Put God first in all our decisions and attitudes. Put God first in our business. Put God first in our relationships. Put God first with our needs. Put God first in our ministry. Put God first with our money. Put God first with everything we do.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6:33]
We have everything we need, use what we have, act in faith, and do as the Lord guides us to do, without looking around to see what anyone else is doing. Work willingly with a great attitude in everything that we do. Do everything as if we are doing it for the Lord.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. [Colossians 3:23-24]
We need to work willingly and with an attitude of thankfulness and joy. What does our attitude look like from where we are now to getting where we want to go? It’s our choice what our attitude is. We also need to choose what our emotions will do. Don’t let our emotions run our lives. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit [Romans 14:17]
We are responsible for our thoughts, attitudes, and every word we speak. Work willingly with a great attitude and in the moment. Fully embrace the opportunities set before us, so that we can all hear the words I so long to hear from the Lord:
Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! [Matthew 25:23]
This is a simple, yet powerful message:
- Live a quiet life
- Mind our own business
- Work willingly
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. [1 Thessalonians 4:11]