Your Intention Directs Your Attention

"Pay attention!"  Parents and teachers often direct those words to a child who is not tuned in to what is being said or what is going on around them.

Sometimes, the problem isn't actually about the child not being tuned in, but exactly what the child is tuned in to.  The same is true with adults. 

I once attended a training class with a former colleague who had begun daydreaming during the lecture.  The instructor deliberately drew attention to my colleague's inattention by asking him a question.  Of course, my colleague had no clue about what the classroom discussion had been about, as he had been busy daydreaming about saving the world--literally. 

He was completely tuned out with regard to the lecture, but totally tuned in to the desperate needs of hurting people and was strategizing about how he could "come to the rescue." He simply had "more important" things on his mind and did not have time to spare listening to a lecture.  Couldn't the instructor see that?!

Giving time and attention to someone or something is rarely an accidental occurence.  Even if it occurs subconsciously, it usually stems from some intent.  It is also often strategic.  The things in life that draw our attention are a good measure of what's most important to us, and provide critical clues regarding our purpose and destiny.

What catches your eye?  What captures your thoughts? What energizes you?
As a Christian, if your goal is to "bless the Lord at all times," and have His praise "continually be in [your] mouth," you will begin to see reasons all around you--great and small--to give God praise.  You will find yourself praising Him for the sunshine and praising Him for the rain.  A heart that intends to be thankful will turn its attention to counting many blessings, naming them one by one.

On the negative side, if you are determined to find fault with someone, your eye will always be drawn to their faults and shortcomings.  Or, if your intention is to always find the easy way out and avoid hard work, your attention will be drawn to every perceived shortcut or every excuse for not being able to get the job done. 

If some of us worked as hard at fulfilling our tasks as we do at finding excuses and following shortcuts, we might realize that what we have been trying to avoid was actually designed to make us stronger and wiser.  We might also realize that the so-called "shortcuts" only create more work, especially when we have to backtrack to get on the right track where we should have started at first.

When we are ready to minimize the drama in our lives, we will stop turning our attention to Maury Povich and some of the other trash TV shows and remember that "He will keep in perfect peace those whose mind is stayed on Him," and start watching quality programming.

When we are tired of settling for Mr. or Ms. Right Now instead of Mr. or Ms. Right, we will turn our attention to God's definition of love and let Him guide our attention in the right direction.

When we begin to fully seek out God's intentions and plans for our lives, we will find that we have His full attention and a promise of joy and blessings beyond mention!  So, stay prayed up and pay attention!

BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen