I Know the Source of All Your Troubles

There are a few component parts to intentional living, and they are surprisingly easy to deal with when you break them down.

Fifteen years ago I loved my life as a dad and a church planter, but I was frustrated.

Sunday through Thursday I had purpose, peace, and joy, even when church planting, marriage, or family life was hard. I was happy and content. 

Then came the weekend.

By Saturday night I was toast. I was feeling low. I couldn’t find the joy or peace I’d just enjoyed two days prior. I couldn’t wait for Sunday, because then the low feeling would go away.

What was wrong with me? Was I a workaholic? Is that why I felt so bad on the weekend?

Was there something I didn’t like about being with my family? 

No, but it took me way too long to figure out my problem. A lack of focus. 

I was focused all week, because I knew what I was trying to do.

I had goals, priorities, a clear job to do as a pastor and church planter. I was focused on those things.

But I left the weekend to chance. I just didn’t think I had to think about anything. Aren’t we just passing time, supposedly resting and waiting for Sunday? 

That is what I was doing, but it wasn’t working for me. 

Humans weren’t put on earth to live that way. Even though I was trying to rest, my rest was unfocused, unplanned. There were no goals, nothing I was trying to accomplish. No real schedule. 

Eventually, I figured it out and started trying to manage my weekends like I managed the week, and things got much better.

What were my Fridays for? Spending time with my family. We called it “family day.”

What were my Saturdays for? Domestic chores and sometimes hanging out with people.

I also needed to eat healthy, exercise, date my wife, and spend time with God in the Word and in prayer. 

But this is not a post about how to do the weekend. 

This is a post about focus. We as image-bearers of God have to live our lives in focus. 

BUT! 

Before we can live in focus we have to know something.

What do you think it is? 

It’s this: We have to know WHAT to focus on. 

But wait!!!

Before we think about what to focus on, we have to decide to live in focus. This is the first and most important step, and most people skip it.

Paul said, “Whatever is true…honorable…just…pure…lovely…commendable…” (Phil 4:8) we should focus on, or, “think on these things.”

But even before that, we must decide to be a person who focuses, who lives in focus.

Then… we gotta know where to focus. Besides Paul’s beautiful list, we need to know what is important.

Aiming at a target is great, as long as it’s the right target. So how do you know what’s the right target? 

This is where we’ll start tomorrow: Values. 

I hope you’ll read tomorrow, because understanding how to sort our true values is a key factor for living as a biblical human.

I pray that your day is amazing, and that you focus all day long on what is good in such a way that you please God and see your life improve today.