How to Stay Focused on Christ

“I hope we are going to learn about Jesus!” These were the words my three-year-old, and newly minted preschooler, spoke to me as we chatted about what she might do at school the next day. “We didn’t do any activities, but we did learn about Jesus!” was the report from my four-year-old after his first day of school.

Losing Sight of Jesus

These comments from little people are equal parts encouraging and challenging to me as an adult. I love hearing how seamlessly they anticipate and acknowledge the presence of Jesus in their school day. I also am challenged by that very same seamlessness.

In my world of adulthood, if you were to ask me what I might do the next day, my response would not likely match my daughter’s. My initial response might be closer to, “I hope that I am going to finish that project for work.” If you were to ask me about my day after the fact, my response would likely not match my son’s either. It would sound more like, “I didn’t get the laundry done or finish that work project!”

The temptation that comes with the responsibilities we face in adulthood is to lose sight of the Jesus who is with us just as seamlessly in our days now as He has been our entire lives. We fall into a rhythm where we can easily stop anticipating what we might learn or know better about Jesus each day because our focus sinfully likes to shift inward instead of being drawn to the divine.

Scripture teaches us that Jesus is in all things.

“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17

So why do we read God’s Word, which so clearly reminds us that in Him all things hold together, and then still go about our own days as if we are solely responsible for the holding?

The short answer to that question is: sin. Our sinful human nature will always struggle to keep us focusing on ourselves. The beauty of God is that He understands that struggle, and He did not leave us to struggle in our sin without a Savior.

Refocus on Christ

Here are a few ideas to encourage you if you feel tension or the tendency to lose focus on Christ in all things:

• Schedule time in God’s word each day. Just like you plan out work meetings or carpool schedules, schedule a time in your day that is for reading Scripture and praying. Set an alarm or reminder to go off on your phone so you don’t lose track of the time you scheduled.
• Reflect on what you are learning about Jesus. Pick a time (daily, weekly, or monthly) to reflect intentionally on what you have learned about Jesus or how you have experienced Him at work in your life during that time.
• Engage in worship or be a part of a Bible study. Has it been a while since you have worshipped with a church community or studied Scripture alongside other people (virtually or in-person)? Being connected to other people is another way to naturally help shift our focus outside of our own inward struggles.
• Ask for help. You are not alone in the struggle to acknowledge Jesus in all things or alone in the tension that comes when you find yourself focused on your own abilities to function as an adult instead of focusing on the Savior who gives you strength. Connect with someone who will check in with you and ask how you are doing with going to worship, praying regularly . . . etc.

The great part about trying any of these ideas is that we are reminded that we don’t hold all things together. That holding is done by the Holy One. Jesus alone bears the weight of holding it all together. Our schedule, our children’s schedule, our relationships, our salvation. At the end of each day, I hope that you too can have the perspective to acknowledge that whatever happened, “I did learn about Jesus” and look forward with anticipation to learning more about him tomorrow, too.

For the Kids

Train your kids to spend daily time with Jesus in prayer and Word. Portals of Prayer for Kids is a devotional book meant for kids.

For the Adults

Learn to find rest and refuge in Jesus with the eight-session Bible study, Be Still and Know: A Study of Rest and Refuge.