Where is your focus?

⁸Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. ⁹The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 

Philippians 4:8–9 (NASB95) 

Have you ever noticed that you often see what you’re looking for? Several months back, I was considering changing vehicles. I got in my head that I wanted a Toyota Tacoma. Of course, it had a good reputation and held its value well. I liked a number of the features of it. What struck me the most was how many other people had the exact same idea. It seemed that every third or fourth vehicle in town suddenly became a Tacoma. Everywhere I went, there were more of them. They were everywhere! How did so many people know to go buy a Tacoma the week I started looking at them? 

Of course, that’s a silly question. No one rushed out to buy the truck I was looking at. My focus and awareness simply changed. The same trucks were always there…but now I was seeing them. 

That works with the other circumstances of our lives. If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll find it. If you are looking for a conspiracy theory (especially in election season), there are dozens of people who will help you find it on the Internet. If you want negativity, suspicion, defeatism…all are readily available. 

The same is true if you’re looking for hope. If you want to see the fruits of the gospel, there are there too. Kindness is there. Respect for authority…also there. Grace and forgiveness is also right there! Certainly, you see these things rehearsed in the pages of Scripture, but they also exist in your life if you are a believer. They are rehearsed in sharing within your Connect Group/small group at church. They are trumpeted in praise songs and heralded in preaching. They are present in acts of kindness prevalent around us. 

It leads one to wonder…if you see the darkness of the world as its most prominent feature…what are you looking for? Do you focus on criticism or on compliments? What are you projecting? Maybe the world needs a little sunshine and you’re the window through which God wants it to be revealed. What if we simply took the counsel of Scripture above and applied it? Whatever is good, lovely, true, honorable, excellent, praise-worthy—dwell on these things. 

We often find what we fixate on. By the way, I love my Tacoma.