And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
Focus is so important, because when you keep looking for the positive, you get good at finding it.
Whenever I’m speaking, I notice people’s facial expressions in the crowd. I could focus on the odd bored or angry-looking person in the crowd. But if I focus on these people, it ruins my entire experience. I don’t deliver my message as well and I end up thinking that no one enjoyed it.
Instead of focusing on the few who look bored or disapproving, I focus on the many excited faces in the crowd. I find faces that radiate hope—people who are sitting on the edge of their seats, eager to let God’s Word change their lives. When I focus on these people, it’s amazing how much better my message becomes. Looking at them, I believe that God is going to change lives through the words I speak, and He does!
In life there are both negative and positive things taking place all around you. The more you look for the good, the happier you begin to feel. An exciting thing also begins to take place. You begin to build hope.
The more hope you stir, the more you begin to believe that things will change. Eventually, you become fully persuaded, and when you get to this level of confidence, you begin to experience God’s promises.
What are you focused on today? Check in with your thoughts and make sure that they are building hope in you.