How to Adjust Your Focus and Find Daily Rest
My husband and I were traveling to Florida when it was my turn to drive. I had adjusted the seat, the mirrors, and my seatbelt. I looked over and my husband was cleaning his glasses. I realized my own lens were smudged and dirty. As we drove down the highway I handed him my glasses and asked him to wipe them off. It was getting dark and the only thing I could see were the red taillights of the car in front of me.
“I think I can still see” I joked. “I’ll just keep my eyes on the blurry red lights…”
He quickly handed them back to me, much cleaner. Suddenly, the blurry lines snapped into focus. I could see again.
Daily resting takes practice. Dedication. Choices. And sometimes it takes changing our focus.
Rest and anxiety don’t mix. We cannot have rest if our hearts are worrying. Worry is a daily struggle for me. I worry about the silly and the serious. I worry whether I’ll get to drink my coffee before it gets cold. I worry about what to have for dinner. Then I worry about the future of my children.
Will they learn all they need to learn being homeschooled?
Will they find love?
Will they remember me for only the times I mess up?
Christ spoke on worry. Anxiety and the future. His answer….. To combat worry, readjust your focus and live in today.
Matthew 6:32-33, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Our God sees what you need….today. Adjust your focus toward today. Seek first God, and His kingdom. Develop habits of rest for your heart. Set your eyes on the eternal and our Father. Whether you can sit down with your devotional or not, set aside even just 5 minutes at the kitchen sink rinsing dishes in the morning to pray and ask Him to make known His presence. To have the daily rest, we must seek Him daily. Your life does not have to be quiet for you to have quiet time.
Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Our Father holds tomorrow, so we don’t have to worry. He doesn’t’ ask us to even think about tomorrow. He only asks us to live in today. Today. The present. He holds our future. He holds our todays as well. Each day we can start again. Refresh. Anew. His mercies follow us. You can trust Him.
What can you change TODAY to start living a rest-filled life?
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Sarah, we don’t have to be quiet to have quiet time. LOVE that! Thank you for the refocus message. So critical to keep our focus on Jesus. This is lovely. Hugs, Susan
Thank you Susan – I’m still learning….and headphones help! 🙂 Thanks for being a blessing and reading!
“He only asks us to live in today. Today.” I tend to live ahead of time. I even got our family on a flight a day ahead one time! We didn’t realize it until the people who were to meet us at the airport thought we were kidding when we told them we’d arrived. I’ve come a long way but this is still my weakness. Thanks for the sweet reminder.
Wow. This is so profound today. I love the contrast of colors use in text. Pink represents HOPE.
Your life does not have to be quiet to rest….Thank you Sarah .. I needed this reassuring in this season.
Warm Regards and Kingdom’s Blessings
“His mercies follow us.” Such a simple little four-word statement, but what sweet sentiment. Love that. Great post, today, Sarah, thanks for sharing. Was drawn to our “Be Still” words on the Rara linkup today. So glad I stopped in. ((blessings))
Thank you for reading Brenda!
Hi Sarah! Rest is a constant struggle, and I’m not sure why. This is the second post I’ve read on this topic, so I think God must be struggling too! Struggling to get me to slow down, listen and refresh.
How can I give if there’s nothing left in the tank? I think this is such a necessary thing, and I appreciate your words today. And this is my first visit here, I didn’t realize that you had a link-up too! I may be back someday!
From #RaRa Linkup,
Ceil
I’m so glad I read your post. The Lord ministered to me through it.
I am a sister-worrier. In fact, I have been worrying about my annual check-up for months now, and the day I am dreading is a week from tomorrow. I have white coat syndrome and my blood pressure goes sky high. What is making my upcoming physical more anxiety provoking is I am going to a new doctor. (Mine sadly died last year.) So of course I’m doing all the what ifs. What if she doesn’t believe I have white coat syndrome and wants to put me on medication. And so on…
The insight you shared that really caused me to pause and reflect was when you said, “To combat worry, readjust your focus and live in today.” As I’ve described above, I’ve been doing anything but. I also like how you talked about living in today and then typing that in with the verse to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
I found great encouragement here today. Thanks! 🙂
YES! And I’ll be praying for your upcoming appointment Karen. Thank you so much for reading!
Sarah,
Your post really touched my heart. I am currently going through a setback after a major surgery and I find my anxious heart racing ahead and saying things like what if I’m not better by the end of the week. What if this pain doesn’t go away. I needed your reminder to just take today for today and leave what’s ahead to God. Praying for the ability to trust Love’s heart and His plans for me…
Blessings,
Bev
Sarah, I think we all worry to a degree. We learn at a young age, and have a lifetime to perfect it. My 83 year old mother can attest to that. She will worry to the point of obsession and when I call her out on it, and try to point her to focus on God, she’ll say, “Oh, I can’t help it. It’s just the way I am.” That’s a great excuse to stay in worry! Focusing on the problem instead of Jesus.
And by the way, I can tell you from experience, that your kids WILL remember you for the times you messed up–BUT, over time, they only remember it with humor. If it’s worthy of laughing about, they’ll remember it-good and bad. When we get together now, we reminisce and laugh about the stupid things we all did. It’s what bonds us.Think about what you remember your parents for. Most likely you don’t remember those little things they messed up on. We all mess up, and it’s all trial and error. But we all survive. As long as we do the best we can–with the help of God–all is good! Lovely post.
Focusing on God is something I’m still learning to do. I tend to worry a lot. And my mind wanders a lot when I’m having my quiet time.
My headphones and music on helps to calm my anxiety and helps me to focus during quiet time.
There is need for us to adjust our focus today and live in what God as provided for today.
I found great encouragement here today. I love your blog Sarah.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us at #EncourageMeLinkup
It is so easy to look at all that is going on around us and not stay present with what is happening in the here and now.