Check Your Focus

It seems like a lot of philosophical thought can be tied to the year 2020 as, in our country at least, we think of 20/20 vision as being the standard of excellence for physical vision.  

Our Ladies Bible Study has been reading/discussing Ecclesiastes. Solomon, King David’s successor, is generally considered to be the writer of Ecclesiastes. Back at the beginning of young King Solomon’s reign, he prayed to God asking for wisdom (see I Kings 3:7-13) God was delighted to grant the young king wisdom and in addition, He allowed Solomon to amass great wealth. It’s very likely that Solomon was the wisest man to ever live as well as the wealthiest. But when you read Ecclesiastes you discover that neither wisdom nor wealth guarantee happiness.

Solomon states several time in this short book about the wisdom of obeying God, and being grateful for every blessing from Him. But he spends more time bemoaning the fact that, essentially, he can’t take his riches with him when he dies and with all his wisdom, he can’t figure out creation or even the convolutions of wisdom/learning, itself

The spiritual epiphany that struck me as we were studying was somewhat simplistic. In all his wisdom, during the majority of his life, Solomon directed his focus on something besides God, whether it be amassing precious metals and jewels, land and livestock, wives and concubines, or displaying his wisdom to other royal dignitaries.

Every time Solomon moved his focus back to God, he glimpsed peace and joy. In the same way I’m reminded: every time my frustrations send me into a depressing downward spiral, I need to check my focus. When I do, I discover, it’s not on the Lover of my soul, it’s on the disagreeable or painful circumstance in my life.

So, my friends, when fear or depression occur or your joy and happiness seems to have totally disappeared, check your focus. It’s most likely not on God. When your focus shifts back to Him, you will rediscover joy and the ability to regain an “attitude of gratitude.”

Solomon concluded in Ecclesiastes 12:13b “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man,” Stay focused on God for His love never fails.