Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
— Colossians 3:2
On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the very first man in recorded history to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. But within 2 months, John Landy eclipsed his record by 1.4 seconds. So on August 7, 1954, the two met together for a historic race.
As they moved into the final lap, Landy held the lead and it looked as if he would win. But as he neared the finish he was haunted by the question, “Where is Bannister?” As he turned to look, Bannister, just behind him, took the lead and won the race. Landy later told a reporter, “If I hadn’t looked back, I would have won!”
As Christians, one of the most important things we can do is to focus on what really matters – God. But the problem is that very often, we become so consumed with the minutia of daily life that we allow it to take our eyes off of the ultimate prize. This causes us to become distracted, often losing ground in our walk with Christ.
But if we keep our eyes on Jesus and don’t allow sin and distractions of the world to pull us aside (Hebrews 12:1), we’ll maintain our heaven-focused perspective on the challenges when they arise. So don’t let the small stuff take your attention away from what really matters. Keep your head forward and your eyes on the cross, and you’re guaranteed victory at the finish line!
Prayer Challenge
Pray that God would help you stay focused on Him when you’re tempted to let life’s challenges distract you.
Questions for Thought
Can you think of some times when you’ve allowed earthly distractions to come between you and God?
What are some potential distractions you have in your life today you should be careful not to let hamper your heavenly focus?