Focused on Jesus

When I was very young, I tried to teach myself to ride a bicycle, but I always ended up falling. I seemed to pedal straight into obstacles. My older brothers tried to coach me, telling me to keep my eyes on where I wanted to go instead of on the obstacles. But I was easily distracted by negative thoughts, worries, and potential dangers. When I finally took my brothers’ advice and kept my eyes on where I wanted to go, the distractions disappeared, and my bike rides became much more enjoyable.

My spiritual walk can also be full of distractions. Though scripture advises us to persevere and focus on Jesus, it is easy to become distracted, worried, or discouraged. But the Bible offers encouragement, and reading scripture daily helps us to keep our focus on “the race marked out for us.” Our spiritual lives are made stronger and we can find joy by “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”