A Bird's Eye View

Tonight I sit with my bird, Doobie, on the bed talking to him like he is my person.  He keeps looking over at the mirror and doing a little chatter thing that birds do when they haven't learned to make actual human words.  He seems to be enjoying the company of the bird he sees.

I quickly say to him, in a jealous tone, "Hey Doobie, focus on me not that other birdie."  I know that parakeets can quickly become attracted to their reflection and soon learn they don't need their owner.

As soon as I said for him to focus on me, the Holy Spirit said the same thing to me.  He reminded me that if I lose focus on Him, the attachment to worldly things, problems, people can, quickly, make me think I dont need Him and shows a lack of faith.

I have been a little burdened with sadness because my past failure repeatedly gets brought to my attention. Satan is trying so hard to make me focus on bad.  There are people that don't understand or have the ability to forgive and extend grace.  Sometimes that person is me.  We can be our own worst enemies.

God keeps reminding me over and over again to "focus on Me and not that other 'birdie'." He wants ALL of us.  He doesn't want your focus to be divided.  Satan will use whoever and whatever he can to try to take your focus off of Christ.  He knows that if we look at ourselves in the mirror long enough, we might lose focus on Christ, giving him an open door.

When we lose focus on God and try to be the focus, we show a lack of faith. God wants us to have faith in Him and Him alone.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne."

God expects us to keep our eyes on Him and what Jesus did for us.  Our faith needs to be in the One who has already fixed our past.  "Focus on Me, not the other 'birdie'." I know when I do, I have peace...the heavenly kind.  Focus shows faith... faith shows focus.