So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT

The world is good at delivering trouble and we are good at concerning ourselves with it. But how much attention and energy should we be directing at our troubles? Life shouldn’t be wasted away with worry. What can we do to transcend our worldly issues? 

Take a Moment

It’s always good to pause and take note of what we’re thinking and doing, not just our activity at that particular moment, but what’s happening at a high level in our lives. Are we on the right path? What is demanding our attention? A pause such as this can be revealing. 

One of the things we should assess regularly during moments of reflection is our worry list. What is troubling you? What’s sucking your energy on a daily basis? Those are great questions to engage with while assessing where you’re at. 

Write down the top five things that are troubling you the most, and be honest. These may be things that you’ve been fretting over for a long time, or relatively new concerns. The most important thing is to acknowledge them and get a clear picture of what’s on your mind.

Next, write down the top five things that you focus on regularly. Think high level here. Maybe you focus on family, work, home, health, and money. Or maybe you focus on your children, hobbies, video games, shopping, and your appearance. There may be some overlap here with your worry list, and that’s ok. Think critically of where you direct your energy.

Adjust

Now that we’ve assessed what troubles us the most and where our focus lies, it’s time to recalibrate and make necessary adjustments. Our goal as Christians is to follow the advice in 2 Corinthians 4:18, and fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen, meaning spiritual things. 

You may have discovered during your assessment that you’re doing just fine. Your focus is right where it should be, so little to no adjustment is needed. That’s wonderful! Keep it up. Or perhaps you discovered how far you’ve drifted off course and you need to make some major adjustments. That’s ok too. The good thing is we’re aware. 

Review your lists and try to categorize each item as either a worldy or spiritual issue. In one of my example lists (family, work, home, health, and money) most, if not all of the items are worldly. They are tangible things that can be “seen.” So what are some spiritual things that I could focus on instead? 

Christ is at the top of the unseen list, and He should be our primary focus as Christians. Prayer, love, forgiveness, hope, and faith are some other things that should keep our focus, rather than the temporary things of this world. 

Does this mean you shouldn’t concern yourself with your family or your work or your home? Absolutely not. Those things will be taken care of as long as you prioritize the spiritual items. Think about it. What family isn’t better with Christ at the center? What work isn’t better with forgiveness as the focus? There are things that demand your time and there are things that demand your soul. The two are very different. 

Adjust your list, if needed, to include five spiritual things that you can focus on. Fix your gaze on those things, regardless of what else comes your way. Let that list be your guide and see what happens to everything else in your life. 

Remain Steadfast

Inevitably our focus will slowly try to shift back to earthly things. Now that we have a list of spiritual things to focus on, we should keep that list in front of us at all times. When the troubles of life creep into the forefront, return to your spiritual list. 

This effort will no doubt take discipline, but in the end it will change your life. As you become more trained to set your gaze on spiritual things, regardless of what troubles or distractions come your way, you will experience the power and love of the Lord. These are the things that do not change. These are the things that last forever. Grab hold of that consistency and never let go. Make way for the Lord and let Him be your daily focus.