Don’t Get Fixated

When going to the same place as another driver, I don’t like to be right behind the car or have the other car right behind me. Why? I tend to fixate on them. If it is ahead for a while, I can lose my alertness to my surroundings. If they are behind me, I always want to know where they are in case a deer runs out in front of me or another car brakes quickly. Either way, I can fixate too much on them and not enough on my surroundings. I had an interesting experience recently. I was at a red light and there was a cement truck that appeared to be coming from the left and making a left turn in front of me. He was waiting on the traffic. As I looked at the cab, it seemed smaller than normal and then I realized I couldn’t see a side window. How could he make safe turns in traffic. I had fixated on the cab, or at least what I thought was the cab. It ended up that the cover over the motor and controls was shaped very much like a cab. On the other end of the truck, there was an actual cab with windows and doors etc. I must admit I was a little embarrassed. I wonder how many times we do that in life. We get so focused on a particular aspect of life that we miss other things that are taking place. I imagine that we can be guilty of doing that in our faith walk as well. How often do we determine, without faithful prayer, what we should do as a church, what we should do with our budget, or what we should do with our day? Then we wonder why God doesn’t seem to be present or why He doesn’t cause our ministry and outreach to be successful. We fixate on what we think we should do without going to God and seek His will and direction. Joshua, in the Old Testament, tried to do that when they were going to battle against Ai. God’s people were whooped... until they turned back to God. God is not to be consulted only when we run into a wall, but is to be the first place we seek each day and in every plan. So what are you fixating on today? Is there something that is consuming a lot of your time and energy that you have not consulted God about? If you set goals, are they your goals or Gods? God tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you as well. What do you think that looks like for you? Will you do it? Father, help us to seek Your will every day and redirect us what we try to take the drivers seat. Amen