I am OCD. I fully admit it and know it. So do most people who know me well. It doesn’t keep me from functioning normally, but it does make me want to do things perfectly which I know deep down, I will never accomplish.
When I began my new job 6 months ago, I was warned that some areas could be difficult. One of the most, if not THE most, is focus during worship. Part of my job is to prepare the Power Points used each Sunday, and knowing that several hundred people will be looking at them, I want them to be perfect. So, often in worship, I find myself looking at the screen not focusing on the words in the song but looking for errors or looking at the picture used wondering should it have been a different one.
Our minister is preaching on Jesus’ stressful last week. Yesterday, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus during the last meal with his disciples. Where was His focus? He wasn’t looking for errors. He had none. He was focused on the people He was with and teaching them how to make it without Him. He was able to compartmentalize.
I am finding ways to compartmentalize too. Often I do not even look at the screen, but instead sing from memory without the need to look at the words. During the sermon, I am writing in my notebook and focusing on our minister instead of looking at the screen. It takes some effort, but I am trying to keep my focus.
I know I am not perfect. Far from it. But I also know where my focus needs to be. Paul knew this well. In Philippians 3:14 he said, “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Press on. Know you and I aren’t perfect except by Jesus’ blood sacrifice.
Focus on the heavenly reward that God through Christ is calling us toward!
Where’s your focus?
