by Amanda McKelroy | November 29, 2018
Christmas season is upon us: the time of year when we simultaneously consider everyone around us as we purchase gifts for them, and also get a bad case of the “gimme’s.” The holidays, more than any other time of year are when it seems the easiest to allow our focus to stray from Christ onto ourselves and our wants. We quickly forget the lessons Thanksgiving Day was founded on, and shift into selfishness as we look forward to getting a pile of presents under the Christmas tree.
The problem with allowing our focus to be on ourselves instead of on Christ is that our perspective on life becomes skewed. Our attitude becomes self-pleasing and we stop giving thanks. Paul specifically instructed Christians to give thanks in everything. He didn’t say to give thanks for everything, but in it. When our focus is on ourselves we don’t give thanks to God for what He has done, is doing, and will do in our lives.
When my focus is on me, what I want, and how I feel instead of on Christ I easily become discontent and discouraged in life. It’s amazing how not getting your way can send us into an adult-version of a temper tantrum. We may not jump up and down or throw ourselves on the floor like a toddler, but we throw away our joy and refuse to have the right attitude. We get snippy with our family, impatient with coworkers, and angry at the local crazy drivers. We revel in our pity party and misery.
The solution is to re-focus on Christ. It sounds simple enough, but what steps do we take to make it a reality?
- Daily read the Bible
I have two tips for getting into the swing of reading your Bible every morning. The first tip is to write out a schedule for your morning of each thing you need to get done and how long it takes. Then add ten minutes for Bible reading. Having a mini schedule for the morning lets you know when you absolutely must get up to still have time to get ready and read your Bible. The second tip is to accept the “Proverbs Challenge.” In those ten minutes, I challenge you to read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds with that day’s date. For example, if today is the 29th, then you would read chapter 29. Try to make it an entire 30 days without missing a day.
- Be faithful to church
Paul gave instruction on being faithful to church in Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Church is a time to learn lessons from God’s Word delivered by the preacher, and to encourage and exhort each other through fellowship. It’s a time when you can turn off all the thoughts of work, of troubles, of drama, of worries, and plug in to worshipping God. It’s a time when you get over yourself, and focus on Christ.
- Listen to godly music
Music is a powerful tool: it influences your mood and attitude. While your music may not be wicked, have you stopped and considered whether or not it is specifically godly? Is it worshipful to your Creator and Savior? There is a lot of music available that is not wicked, but is also not godly. In moments of discontent and discouragement, when we are taking strides toward re-focusing on Christ, we need to listen to godly music. We need to saturate our minds and hearts with music that worships Christ.
- Choose a joyful attitude
I met a Baylor student recently. She oozed enthusiasm and sunshine. She was bright and bubbly, carefree and lighthearted. Quite frankly it was convicting. I remember a time when I was young and the weight of adulthood and life hadn’t settled on my shoulders. How sad is it that at times I allow my outlook to be downcast when in reality I have a Heavenly Father who genuinely wants to carry my burdens and fight my battles for me. I have no excuse to be heavy hearted and somber. No excuse is valid for me to have a thundercloud of stress and urgency following me around. It is a result of my focus being on myself and not on Christ, and that is a choice. Of all the people in the world, as a Christian, I should be the brightest ray of sunshine. I should be the lighthearted, care free woman who is oozing happiness. But I will never be that woman if I focus on myself and carry my cares instead of casting them at the feet of my Champion. I Peter 5:7 instructs us: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Having a joyful attitude is absolutely a choice.
A final thought on the need to re-focus on Christ instead of self: you get out what you put in. There is an old saying: “garbage in, garbage out.” The inverse is just as true! Put godly things in your mind through Bible reading, good preaching, and godly music and godly joy will come out! You won’t be able to help being content and encouraged.
“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20
