#Focus on GOD

[motivatedaily]

[momentsbeforemass]

Stuck on us

It’s easy to see problems. To spot how things are going wrong.

When someone else is doing it.

So let’s do that. Today’s Gospel shows us the moment where James and John are bugging Jesus about sitting on His right and His left. When Jesus is crowned in His glory.

With everything that’s going on, with the rising threats against Jesus. And them. With what Jesus just got done telling them about His death, this is what they’re worried about?

Yes. That’s exactly what they’re worried about. Which tells us a lot about them, and what’s going on inside them.

Because there’s only one way that anyone can be this oblivious. And it all turns on what they’re listening to.

They’re not listening to Jesus. They didn’t hear a thing that Jesus said. So what are they listening to?

The sound of their own insecurities.

Whether it shows up like this, in a demand for special treatment. Or if it takes the form of the need to be better than someone else. Or attention seeking. Or some other unhealthy leakage.

All of it shows that someone is focused on the wrong thing. That they are meditating, ruminating on something they don’t like. Some perceived grievance about what someone did or didn’t do. What they’re afraid of, how bad things are, or what they don’t have.

All of which are just different ways of getting stuck on something they don’t like about themselves.

Sound familiar? It should. If we’re honest. Because it’s something that all of us are capable of. Something that all of us do or have done at some point (maybe both).

How does this happen to us?

It happens when we take our eyes off God and get stuck on us. It’s easy to do, because we’re really fond of us.

The thing is, when we do that, we create an opening. One that the Enemy will happily exploit. To harness our natural bent towards the negative.

And since our eyes are stuck on us? The Enemy will be happy to offer us a continuous stream of our failures, our shortcomings, and everything we least like about ourselves.

Left unchecked, we will find that we are spending more and more time focused on the worst parts of us. Meditating on things that – if we gave them half a moment’s thought – we would never intentionally revisit. In a toxic, self-poisoning parody of praying without ceasing.

Because that’s what meditating is. Not some mystical practice for those sitting cross-legged on the floor with their eyes closed.

Meditating is just thinking over and over about something. It’s a skill that all of us already have. We just know it by another name – worrying.

So what do we do about it? Give it half a moment’s thought. Literally.

The next time we catch ourselves worrying, meditating on something negative. Whether it’s some perceived grievance, what we’re afraid of, what we don’t have, or just something we don’t like about ourselves.

Stop. Actually give it half a moment’s thought. Realize what we’re doing.

And don’t try to handle it by ourselves. Whatever it is, whatever we’re telling ourselves, take it to God in prayer.

It helps if you do it with a sense of humor – “God, I’m doing it. Again.” – because it won’t be one and done.

Let’s be clear, turning to God isn’t about ignoring our problems. It’s about keeping them in perspective, while we deal with them. Instead of letting them take over.

Turning away from ourselves. Developing a habit of the right kind of “worrying,” meditating on God. Instead of on ourselves. Takes time.

But in the end, it’s the only perspective that can keep us grounded in reality. Instead of ending up stuck on ourselves, and lost in negativity.

Today’s Readings

[daughter-of-mary]

[your-heart-is-a-treasure]

Faith in God will elevate you to next level blessings.

[dramoor]

[dearjewels22]

Focus on God!

In His timing, everything will happen as it should and it will ALL be worth the wait.

Be still.

[yeslordmyking]

Thank you God for showing me the meaninglessness in the things that I enjoy

Thank you God for showing me the wickedness in the people I adore

Thank you God for taking the love for this life out of my heart

None of these secular distractions can hurt me anymore

When I'm on my deathbed ready to leave this empty life

I'll say a final prayer as I join my hands and close my eyes:

"Thank you God for taking everything from me.

This life never mattered. Only You do. I am so happy."

[tom4jc]

Acts 7:59 The Right Focus

And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying; “Lord, Jesus, receive my spirit.” Acts 7:59 Getting hurt without any real cause happens to a lot of people. When someone else has done the hurting, it is common for many people to be quick to sue others for the damages done. They want revenge and for the one who did the harm to pay for it. Letting it go and looking the other way rarely…

[divinefem333]

DISTRACTION BE LIKE #funnytiktokmemes #distractions #jokesandquotes #god...

[motivatedaily]

Mr. StarCity

[momentsbeforemass]

It’s not yours

It really doesn't matter what you do. It’s still going to happen.

Think of the very best thing you’ve ever done in your life. The thing that you want people to remember you for doing. Now tell that story on social media.

Then do something that you normally should never do – read the comments. A surprisingly large number of them will be negative (and that’s putting it gently).

That negativity isn’t just a social media problem. It’s a people problem.

Because no matter how good a thing you do. No matter how needed, how loving, how holy it may be. There will always be someone with something nasty to say about it. Or about you. Or both.

That negativity about even the best things in life? It’s nothing new. It was old news when Jesus was dealing with it.

Today’s Gospel is a prime example. Jesus is talking with someone, forgiving their sins before He heals them.

And instead of being amazed by what Jesus is doing? Instead of asking Jesus about the connection that He’s making between healing and forgiveness? Some of the bystanders start criticizing Jesus, for the way that he’s doing things.

The way Jesus responds to them has two important lessons for you and me.

First, there’s what Jesus says to them – “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?”

Which is not to say that you and I need to waste our time responding to our critics. Rather, it’s Jesus letting us know where their criticisms are coming from.

The garbage that they’re spreading? It comes from filling themselves with evil thoughts, with negativity, with things that aren’t from God.

Meaning? Their criticisms don’t really have anything to do with Jesus. He’s just the available target for the garbage they’ve been storing up. This is their problem, not His.

Then, there’s what Jesus does.

Jesus doesn’t let their criticism have any impact on what He does. Jesus keeps doing what He was doing – forgiving the person and healing them.

Jesus keeps His focus on God and what God has called Him to do.

And that’s the thing that you and I must never lose sight of when it comes to our critics.

All of what they’re throwing out is just the garbage they’ve been storing up. It’s not about you. You’re just a convenient target.

This is their problem, not yours. 

As Jesus shows us by His example, their criticism doesn’t need to have any impact on you or what you’re doing. Your response?

Keep your focus on God and what God has called you to do.

Their negativity? It’s their garbage. Not yours.

Today’s Readings

[kingdomassociate]

Behold His beauty

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, inthis I will be confident.One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That…

[your-heart-is-a-treasure]

Our world is becoming increasingly filled with distraction. Information moves faster, louder, and brighter than ever before. Entertainment, social media, and marketing have never been so prevalent. They beg for our attention and our focus. In so doing, our minds are diverted from more important work.

However, these distractions are easy to notice. After all, the battle plays out in front of us each day.

Far more detrimental to our lives are the subtle distractions that quietly surround us. They are not announced with blinking lights or beeping sounds. In fact, they have become so commonplace and ever-present, we hardly even notice their existence. But these distractions take residence in our mind and wreak havoc on our pursuits. And in the end, it keeps us from living our lives to its greatest potential.

[dramoor]

“...for it is for Him that we are born and to Him that we should aim our earthly paths.”

~Holy Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzus), 384 A.D.

[bigturtl]

i love lawyer game

[yeslordmyking]

Deuteronomy 7:21 — Today's Verse for Sunday, July 21, 2024