I don’t like “New Year Resolutions.” Maybe because they always seem to fail, or are unrealistic, or maybe because I don’t like to do what everyone else does. But, every year for the past few years, I found that God would start laying a theme in front of me repeatedly right before a new year. So, through His prompting and through prayer, (Psalm 139:24), I pick one word to guide my year. The year 2017 was enough (part 1, part 2). But this year, is focus.

It started to surface for me in November and December when I began to notice a plaguing feeling that not only did I always need to be doing something, I always needed to be multitasking. Though life and work often demand multitasking, I need not multitask at everything. This need, the need to always make the most of my time and try to do three things at once has turned into a serious affliction. I realized in the end, it was taking away the value of everything I did because I was never giving 100% to any of the things in front of me.

Then I started to see it in the Word. Be alert and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (1 Peter 4:7). For the sake of my prayers?? Not being focused will even affect my prayers and prayer life? Okay, yeah I definitely want to be more focused. Or like when Jesus meets and walks with two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. They were so distracted by Jesus’ death, they didn’t realize it was him until after Jesus until, in his usual fashion, broke the bread and blessed it as they sat down to eat. We can even be distracted by “Christian-like things,” and miss the real Jesus that is walking with us in that very moment.

Jesus is on the road with me, whether I see Him or not, whether I feel like He is with me or not. God is always speaking to us, but when we are not focused, we miss it (Job 33:14). We miss Him. I don’t want to miss Him. I don’t want to miss His Words. I pray like in the Psalms, that God will remind me how fleeting my time is on earth (Psalm 90:12; Psalm 39:4). So that I will not waste it on small things here and there, not giving a hundred percent to what is in front of me in the moment.

I’m not trying to say that 100% of the time we focus on being deep in Bible study. But when I’m at work, I focus on my task before moving to the next. When I get home, I’m not writing an email while listening to a podcast and walking the dog. When I’m out with friends, or in conversation with someone, or talking with my husband about our day, I’m not on my phone checking texts, emails, Pinterest, whatever (not to mention Facebook). And when I am studying my Bible, I turn my phone to do not disturb. Or I look for ways to slow myself down by physically writing the Word as I study it. All so I can focus, and be in the moment for whatever I am doing.

And surprisingly, with less multi-tasking, my productivity has gone up. Yeah…up! I wouldn’t have guessed so. In fact I thought I’d have to work extra hard. But no, I’m getting more things done and feeling less tired and ragged at the end of the day. The things I do are done well. I have more peace, less frantic thoughts running about all the time. And though I am focused on the task at hand, whatever it may be, I find that my mind is also clearer to thank my God throughout the day – for the day, for my ability to complete that task, to thank him for my job, for my husband, while still being focused and honed in on what I am doing. It has even lead to more God time throughout my day.

I pray we will all focus more this year, whether it be general focus, or a focus to be content, or focus on joy, or focus on family. Whatever your focus is, I pray we all focus on the race set before us, and the lay aside the weights and hindrances of life that keep us from living and accepting God’s best for us (Hebrews 12:1-3). Troubles will always be in this world (John 16:33), but let’s not be laying any unnecessary burdens on ourselves. What would your one word be? What will your focus be this year?

In Him – Just a girl pursuing her reflection in the mirror