I’m not a huge exercise guru. We’ve already established that Momma Kay and I shopped for pants in the husky section growing up. But, I do love a good workout because I love the way it makes me feel. Some days I’m feeling like a high intensity dance workout. Some days, I feel like doing a distance jog. Most days, I’m always down for a yoga routine.
I started doing yoga before I ever started practice in meditation, even though the two go hand in hand. Yoga benefits the body with stretching and taking out tension by turning your focus onto the present and breathing techniques. It’s amazing how it works. When the instructor is doing a pose that involves balance, there’s a phrase he or she often says, “Find your focal point.” This can be a spot on the floor, the clock on the wall, or the corner of a piece of furniture. It needs to be something that is consistently still; unmovable. If I concentrate on a person’s eye, I’d lose focus when they blinked. If I concentrated on the instructor, I’d lose focus when he or she moved. Once my concentration is off, my balance is off.
We put our faith in a lot of different things. I put my faith in my car this morning, hoping that it would get me from Point A to Point B. I put faith in my doctor when he explains treatment plans for illnesses. I put faith in my bank that they are going to put my money in the right account. The things and people I put my faith in are often worthy to confide in, but the fact is, they aren’t perfect. They are flawed. They are moveable. When my car doesn’t start, I find myself stressed out. When my doctor’s plans don’t work, I’m upset. When my bank accidentally deposited my money into another account, I’m livid. My trust is shattered, and I’m hesitant to put my faith in them ever again.
Your focal point is what is keeping you balanced. I think it’s so silly that I have to stare at a hole in the mat just to keep from falling over during a half moon pose, but it works. I have full confidence in staring at that hole for my stretch, even if in the yoga session prior, I lost my balance from staring at the instructor.
There are a lot of kids in my youth group that don’t go to church anymore. Some found focus points other than God that became priority. They lost faith when their desired outcome met God’s desired outcome and they were different. Instead of trusting that staring at the hole in the mat-no matter how ridiculous that seemed-would keep them balanced, they chose to stare at the instructor instead.
We’ve got a lot of spiritual giants that influenced our decision to become Christians. It’s easy to focus on them and want to live like them. But, if we aren’t careful, they become our focal point rather than God. They are going to move because they are tempted just as we are. They’re people. Too many times I’ve seen friends quit going to church, and their reasoning is hypocrisy.
“I can’t worship with _____ because I know how they live outside of church.”
“I’m not going to church with people who act holy on Sunday but backstab me on Monday.”
“If Christians aren’t going to judge every choice I make, I want no part of them.”
I’m grateful that God sees my mistakes and loves me through them. I’m grateful that He stands with me when I stand on His Words, even when no one else will stand with me. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose.”
A former student shared the coolest post by Shane Pruitt recently. Here’s what it said: “The other 11 disciples didn’t stop believing in Jesus, because of the actions of Judas. Even when they were scattered momentarily, Jesus found them together worshiping and praying after the Resurrection. If someone’s actions wreck your faith, then you must ask yourself, ‘Was my faith in Jesus, or other people?’”
I admit that I am a Christian. I admit that I make mistakes. Don’t let me be your focal point; focus on the One I’m focusing on. We’ll be apprentices together. I can honestly say that every time God has been my focal point, I’ve never fallen over. “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)
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