“….for Jesus, the path to greatness lies on the road to Calvary, to self-forgetting love; for the disciples—and for most people of most ages—it lies along the road to ego inflation. “
Bishop Barron
I, for one, travel the wrong road. Working on taking the right exit, but never choosing to get off.
Lots harder than it seems. A simple turn takes so much effort.
But it does matter. It does bring results. And finally, provides peace.
It was once said that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the choice you make in the face of fear. Similarly, focus does not exist in the absence of distractions – it exists in spite of them.
Focus, then, also represents a choice. The decision you make to maintain and hold fast to your “vision” regardless of the situation, temptation or challenge.
It is highly unlikely that you will ever find yourself in an environment totally free of distractions. You can always count on something to be there to draw your attention, pick away at your resolve or make you second-guess your intentions, abilities and actions.
Distractions – especially now – are going to be more than abundant.
Some of these will present themselves as the self-inflicted variety. Usually born of doubt.
The ones you create and then tell yourself. You know, those little white lies that excuse the failure you are ultimately setting yourself up for. The rationale you use to lessen expectations, dim the light of your talents and diminish your purpose. The fiction that only serves to deflect attention from performance.
The prose that is generated to soften the blow when you tell yourself that you are not quite up to the challenge, because you think it might require too much of you. All because you choose to allow doubt to wedge its way into you.
Then there are those distractions that will act to divert your focus from the outside in. Perhaps it is your peers chipping away at your self imposed discipline, sacrifice and commitment. Or the press and the punditry that look to fill their space with copy and your head with nonsense. The chirping opponent looking to draw a flag.
A hostile playoff venue to take you out of your game. If you allow yourself to succumb to these types of “noise”, your eyes may come off the ball. You might lose your way. Failure may appear.
You have the ability to overcome these distractions, maintain your focus and relentlessly pursue your vision.
But this talent needs to be exercised regularly. Your ability to choose to remain focused in the face of distraction can become powerful – but only if you consistently challenge yourself to do so in all cases.
Confront every distraction and put it in their place. Recognize their origins and intentions. See them for what they usually are – self-doubt.
Keep your eyes on the prize, your head in the game and your heart full of purpose.
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”
― C.S. Lewis
Spot on.
He simply wants a relationship with each one of us. On a deeply personal level. That is how He was made. And by extension, that is precisely how we were as well.
It only stands to reason that despite all of the inexcusable thoughts, words and deeds we have decided to make our own, that He simply wants to forgive them so that we may become closer. Know one another. And some day, become as one.
With Him.
In any relationship, there is always going to be some give and take. It just cannot be one sided. Then there is no relation.
So how about this?
Figure out a way to take His forgiveness.
And then, give Him a chance to be a part of your life.
Whether you are talking about the game on the field – or – about the game of life, teamwork matters the most.
And when it comes right down to it, the true essence of teamwork is servant-hood: “How far are you are willing to go for the guy next to you?”
When we can open our eyes and develop the vision to see that the needs of others are just as important – or more so – than those of our own, we then begin to reach, affirm and connect to those around us in a powerful and lasting manner.
Affirming the value of their needs and connecting to others by demonstrating our willingness to sacrifice our personal goals for the bigger picture – a team objective – gives birth to an attitude that can grow and spread in exponential fashion.
And once that begins to happen, the moments to come are ripe with opportunity for achievement, excellence and success.
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.”
-Vince Lombardi
Each one of us is blessed with our own, unique set of gifts, talents and abilities. Granted to none other. No one is alike. As such, all of us are a masterpiece in our own way.
And yet despite this, we choose to spend a great deal of our time hiding them away, electing to focus our energies in other ventures. Like aiming to be the influencer of the moment.
Chasing an apparition of some other figure, rather than just working on becoming the absolute best version of ourselves.
Granting consideration and giving attention to only some of our talents.
Reducing and leveling ourselves in certain respects to that of another – in lieu of being who we really are.
And what we are meant to become.
Keeping hidden away what is already in our possession. Never giving a second thought to the wonderful array of talents in our possession and at our immediate disposal.
Focus your energies on becoming the absolute best version of you.
For in the final analysis, the true measure of yourself is always conducted from the inside out first- not the other way around.
That is precisely how you determine the measure of yourself.
...my temporary assignment. 