HOW CAN I STAY FOCUSED ON CHRIST?

In our fast-paced world, it is easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of our true purpose in life - the worship of God. Each believer, in striving to remain focused upon God, has his or her own way of keeping that focus. Each individual's needs are different. One person might memorize a Scripture verse each week; another might have a private Bible study each morning; yet another might have a goal of sharing the Gospel message with at least one person every week. Each of these things keeps Christ at the forefront of one's mind.

Also, each of these activities has something in common. Each is something that believers can do in order to keep their focus where it needs to be. This is surrender—surrender to Jesus Christ, to God. Surrendering one's whole life: needs, worries, pains, joys, praises. Surrendering the physical, the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual. Consider the following verses:Romans 12:1 (NLT): "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?"Luke 9:23: "Then he said to the crowd, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.'"Romans 6:13: "Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God."

A surrendered life is all about trust. It is trusting that God has your best interests at heart. It is trusting that His Word can be believed and taken at face value. It is trusting that all of your needs will be met. Surrender takes the focus off of self and places it upon Christ, and is demonstrated by obedience. "Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. All other approaches lead to frustration, disappointment and self-destruction." I personally can think of no better way to stay focused as a believer than to completely surrender my life to my Lord and Savior.