FOCUS 2
Is life really that hard?
Well, Life feels hard when we try to do everything at once, without focusing on what truly matters.
I used to believe that life was hard, and only the strong could prevail. But i came to realize that life only seems difficult because we make it so.
So, why is that?
It’s a simple truth: life is hard because we lack focus ( singular focus) on the right thing at the right time.
I often tell myself, 'Girl, you have to be strong,' so I focused on building emotional and mental strength — reading books and articles, believing that they were the answers to overcoming life’s challenges. But as i continued my journey, I realized that focusing on building emotional and mental strength shouldn’t be my focus at that time. I came to understand that i hadn’t yet grasped the deeper, more meaningful answers i was searching for. I was still striving for the wrong thing, without fully realizing it. But despite my efforts, this strength didn’t bring about any real change i wanted. Ironically, most people still see me as strong. But i never thought of it that way, or even see myself as one. I was focusing on the right thing, but at the wrong time, and it wasn’t helping me during that phase of my life.
Focus helps you stay on track, and purpose gives you the direction for that focus.
Many of us today have lost focus on the things that truly deserve our attention, time, energy, and resources. We’ve become distracted by the things of this world — social media,clubbing, sleeping too much, eating too much, talking too much and often losing sight of what really matters. We no longer dedicate quality time to the things that count. Our attention is constantly divided, and as a result, the one thing that truly matters becomes too difficult to focus on.
I’ve always wondered why it’s so hard to stay focused on one thing consistently for a long period of time, and why building good habits is so challenging. It turns out that we’re constantly distracted, dividing our attention among too many things at once. As a result, we either get poor results or fail altogether. In the end, everything we do becomes a distraction from the one thing that truly deserves our focus. But even when there are no external distractions, I’ve noticed we still struggle to focus.
Yet, Apostle Paul shows us the importance of a single-minded focus...
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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)
Paul admitted that he has not reached perfection or fully attained everything that God has for him. Despite being a devoted apostle, he recognizes that the journey of faith is ongoing.
He makes it clear that in order to move forward, we need to leave behind the things that could weigh us down.
The word "straining" means intense effort and focus.He was pressing forward toward the goal with all his energy.
Growth is a continuous process, and for it to truly take place, we need to focus on one thing at a time in order to achieve quality results.
I’ve been constantly meditating on what Apostle Paul said...( timing is crucial) but, i’ll leave this for another day)
In my story, i was focused on building emotional and mental strength, not realizing that i was giving my attention, and focusing on what wasn’t needed at that point in time. But as i continued my journey, i realized that emotional and mental strength alone weren’t enough to bring about the kind of change i hoped for. I came to understand that i hadn’t yet grasped the deeper, more meaningful answers i was searching for. I was still striving for the wrong thing, without fully realizing it.
Instead of solely focusing on "being strong," I’m now looking ahead to things like growth, balance, and aligning my actions with what truly matters, my deeper purpose and the things that will help me grow as a person in a more holistic way.
This is my transition: The “one thing” i need to focus on now is no longer just strength but finding a balanced focus on the areas that will help me thrive, emotionally, mentally, academically, financially and spiritually. It’s about moving forward with purpose and directing my energy toward my true calling and goals. The prize is no longer just strength or success as the world defines it, but aligning my actions with my purpose, my faith, and the values i want to live by.
This transition and realization didn’t happen all at once, but every time i open the scriptures, the word of God comes afresh.
Now, placing my time, resources, and energy into this one thing demands the cultivation of a consistent focus. It’s not just about being strong anymore, it’s about aligning my life with what truly matters. This focus will require me to act with intention, to be present in each moment, and to grow in all ramifications sequentially
In the end, the one thing that truly matters isn’t about strength, but about purpose. Being focused, intentional, and true to what God has called me to be.
