Where is my focus?

I want to start by sharing one of my favorite scriptures with you found in Ephesians 5:15-17: 15 “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), 16 Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is” (AMP). 

There are six important words in these three verses that I’d like us to focus our attention on, “purposefully, accurately, and wise,” as well as “vague, thoughtless, and foolish.” Why is it that some of us cannot have a “good conversation” unless it’s about someone else’s business? Why is it that we get quiet when it comes to knowing our purpose and who we are? This is a deceptive trick of the enemy. Sin is going to always be entertaining to the flesh, and following after the ways of God will always appear as if it’s not worth it. But according to these verses the days we are living in are evil, and it is unwise to not know what the will of the Lord is. Those six words mentioned above are words that produce one another.  For instance, a purposeful heart produces accuracy, and accuracy (or an aim) makes one wise.  To be vague is to live life without thought, and to live without thought is to be foolish.  Let me explain more.

If I do not seek to know what was on God’s mind when He created me, I will be subjected to opinions, assumptions, and illusions all around me. In my opinion, nothing’s worse than waking up everyday not having an aim, not having a divine focal point that drives you, motivates you, and keeps you consistent. It’s hard to be passionate if you don’t know who you are and where you’re headed.  Passion has nothing to hold on to if there is no aim. So, to be purposeful is to be accurate, and to be accurate is to be wise. Wise people are concise people. They don’t talk a lot, but when they do, the few words they speak are highly and purposefully intentional. People with an aim do not go through their day without a goal, a plan, and a vision.  They caught a glimpse of who they are, and they structured their lives around that one glimpse. They do not become ensnared with the trends of society, nor live life all over the place, indecisive, irrational, and wishy-washy.  They are also taken seriously. See, when we live life without an aim it’s hard for people to trust us because our lives are all over the place.

To be vague is to be unclear, and far too many times have we made decisions and put others in the balance when we are not sure. We can negatively affect the next generation when we live vague lives, pray vague prayers and live aimlessly. The Word says that to live aimlessly is to live a life without thought, to be foolish. All in the book of Proverbs the Word teaches us that foolishness is a result of a lack of wisdom and an abundance of pride.

So let’s do some soul-searching. What did God create you to do, and even more importantly, who did He create you to be? When we seek to understand our identity in Him we will be less swayed by the world’s mentality (Romans 12:2). Selah.