LOOK STRAIGHT! FOCUS!!!

 

“Keep running Michael!” my dad told me while we were both on the sport field training for my school inter house sport. I was chosen as the last person to run In a relay race for my team. My dad is a very supportive man. Apart from that, he is a sporty type. He loves sport and physical fitness. Yeah! My dad has a good body shape and that's my goal too but when I see how he trains in the gym I used to be like “damn I can't do this”. My dad oftentimes smiles about that word. I am not a lazy guy though but there are some excersise I don't want to ever try. Ever since I was selected to be the last runner in the relay race, I've been trying what I think I can't do. My dad often make me to run round a whole field. My dad never told me “you did well”after every run. He is found of saying you can do better! And sometimes it sucks ahnnnn!! We train daily till the D-Day

Finally, everyone is set. My competitors are much more better at running than I do. I've seen them run and at that particular time, fear began to grip me. I started feeling as if I never prepared. I looked at my dad who was sitting at an angle in the stadium. I tried communicating to him to cheer me up so that I can feel relieved but my dad behaved weird. He just smiled. I was expecting a shout from him. Probably a thumb up too but he just smiled to me. I felt disappointed and I took my eyes away from him.  

The flag was removed from it's fixed position. The match is about to start. All that was ringing in my ear was “look straight and be focused”. That's what my dad do say before I start running. But right there the fear I was feeling was breaking my strength. Suddenly, the whistle was blown. I became more alert and stretched my hand backward to be able to collect the baton. After some minutes the baton landed in my hands and I began to run. I ran with my whole energy and was topping until a guy ran pass me. I lost my control. I took my eyes off the final point but rather I Was busy looking side ways to see whether someone is about to overtake me. The more I look, the more my colleagues ran pass me. Suddenly I slipped and fell. I felt defeated already even before the end of the game. Despite all my team's hardwork right from the beginning, we ended up losing. 

I was really ashamed of myself as I walked to my team. Everyone started to blame me for being distracted and I felt bad. I went to the restroom to calm myself and my dad walked in. I felt so ashamed. He walked up to me and sat beside me. He began to pat me and I started crying. He smiled and said “its okay to fail. It's okay to lose but it's not okay to shut down. You practiced well. But the effect of your practice was cancelled out because you lack focus. Son, I'll like to teach you one basic principle that governs life”. I looked up with tears in my face and he smiled at me “ everyone want to run the race of life well. Everyone wants to be the best. We have defined best in terms of competition (I.e If you are better than someone then you are the best). In the course of being the best, many starts to loose their wonders in the pursuits of purpose outside God. Many start to compete with others, forgetting that life isn't a competition show. Life is not a tournament. One of the principles that governs life is times and seasons. Life isn't about doing better than someone else. Its about you walking according to the plans and purpose of God concerning your life. The best person you can ever be better than is the yesterday you! The evidence of your growth and achievements is in you getting better daily. Michael, you practiced really well but you loosed focus when you saw your fellow running ahead of you.

Many of us are like Michael. We have a whole lot of potentials in us but fear has eaten it all. You know you have the capacity to do something but fear Will never make you do it. Focus on that path God has shown you. Believe it and keep walking in it. The truth is that there will always be people ahead you. There will always be people who wants that position that you are now. Be happy with yourself. Your life is not a competition. Look straight! Be focused. The moment you start to look at others and start condemning your own journey, that's The beginning of your fall. Make God's life your standards and principles you live by. Don't make man your standards. God wants you to be focused on him. Your true definition of existence is in God. Focus!