By Rhonda Stinson
When I was young, my parents taught me lessons that have become very valuable in adulthood. I remember dad teaching me and my brothers the ins and outs of using a gun. He told us over and over, “Never ever point a gun at anyone.” He said that a bullet could only go where the gun was pointed. Whether hunting or target shooting, we knew the rules.
One evening, I went out target shooting. When I emptied the magazine, I still had the gun cocked. I brought it into the house to make sure the magazine was empty. He verified the magazine was empty and pulled the trigger to de-cock the gun. I was standing in front of him and my mom and brothers were sitting in the same room. All of a sudden, the gun went off. The bullet shot through the ceiling. I think mom made a rule to never pull the trigger in the house again. Thankfully, dad had followed his own advice and kept the gun pointed at the ceiling the entire time.
Later in life he taught me another rule about direction and safety. When I bought my first motorcycle, dad said, “Wherever your head goes, the motorcycle goes.” One of the neat things about being on a motorcycle is that you can enjoy the scenery without having any obstructions. I found that I could only take brief glances while riding because every time I would stare too long, my motorcycle would start drifting off course.
“Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!'” (Matthew 14:29-30). Even Peter, Christ’s disciple, lost direction. He stepped out of the boat with his eyes fixed on his target, Jesus Christ. Then the word “but” drops in. I could insert this word in many places in my walk with Christ. Peter’s focus went from a firm foundation of faith laid upon Christ to a billowing sea raging with fear and doubt. It wasn’t that the storm was growing more fierce that Peter began to fear, it was because his focus changed.
There are so many things in the world which vie for our attention. Distractions are everywhere. They might be obvious like the raging storm Peter experienced, or they might be inconspicuous like an undercurrent. Where your focus is, there your love will be. When you look at your days, where is your focus? This will reveal where your heart is.
If you see yourself drifting in the wrong direction, it’s time to start refocusing. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit will send warnings when you’re wandering off course. Ignoring these warnings will lead to destruction.
I’ve been on the path of destruction more than once. The longer I kept my eyes fixed on the world and myself, the harder it became to turn in the right direction. The rut got deeper.
If you have your weapon (Scripture) pointed in the right direction and your head pointed upward, the waters of life will not overtake you. It is deadly to look to the world for answers about life’s questions. Life can only come through the Living Water. If you see that you need help stepping out in faith, please seek out the support of Bible-believing Christians who are focused on God. Remember, the trials of life are temporary and your eternal reward is in heaven!
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:2-4).
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
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