Where is your focus?

You probably waited to watch the Netflix movie Birdbox, if you are anything like me. My husband and I kept seeing everyone talking about it on Social media, and I honestly didn’t care to watch it. I think like a month later, we were like fine let’s watch it just for something to do. For those of you who haven’t seen it, it’s about an unseen presence that takes the form of their worst fears and if you see it, you die. A woman and her children travel through the woods and down a river to find the place that may offer sanctuary. In order to survive, they’ll have to complete the trip completely blindfolded. They would have to re-purpose their focus.

But my eyes are toward you, O God my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless. – Psalm 141:8

While watching the movie, I began to think about where my focus was. I realized I worry about things that I have no control over. I allowed the thoughts to bring me to worry and doubt. Also, social media doesn’t help because it’s just a bunch of people posting pretty pictures trying to portray that their life is perfect. I know because I do it. It became overwhelming looking at all these things, that my sight became dim and found myself feeling depressed and anxious.

As soon as we take our eyes off of Jesus, we begin to doubt. We begin to fear. We begin to drown in all our worries. Don’t for a second take your eyes off of God. When we begin to look at Jesus, there is no more chatter. Fear has gone and Hope and peace have arrived. In Matthew 14, Peter is looking directly at Jesus but as he began to see the wind, he slipped and began to sink. He was walking on water and this man SAW the wind!? like how? You can’t even see the wind. Don’t be like Peter when he stepped out.

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold  saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” -Matthew 14:28-33

It’s like the movie birdbox. God is the blindfold, protecting us, blocking us from the “things”. Don’t for a second take your blindfold off. The blindfold is used as a protection from the thing that will kill them. Our spirit begins to slowly die. The fear, the doubt, the worry. God is asking us to fully fix our eyes on Him.

“Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and which clings to so closely and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:1-2

When we fix our hearts, mind, and eyes on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all the things that are causing anxiety or lack of peace seems to go away. Your heart and mind get lighter and you can be able to breathe again while thinking and looking at him. The enemy wants you to take the blindfold off, he wants to expose you to things that will slowly harm you. When we put our blindfolds back on, God has blocked it all. Don’t you dare for a second take off your blindfold.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil” – Proverbs 4:25-27

Please take a listen to the song that compliments this post. Enjoy!