Where is your spotlight?
I remember several years ago being told in counseling to refocus the spotlight. So imagine a stage and the spotlight is going to illuminate where the focus is at the moment.
If you find yourself depressed, anxious, and dwelling on the negative or replaying a trauma or something in your mind – you need to re-focus your spotlight.
I was reminded of this again recently at luncheon where I listened to Dan Meers (KC Wolf -Chiefs mascot) speak. He talked about the verse in Matthew 5:16 where it says, “Let your light shine so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
He left us with the quote and a coin which stated, “Rise and Shine or Rise and Whine” – you have the choice you’re going to make each day. His coin says “Life is like a coin, spend it wisely.“ The other side says “rise and shine”. (Link to order one of his coins at the bottom of post.)
You can look up Dan’s story of what he’s been through and the traumatic injury he incurred, but I was reminded today of what I consider my thorn. Just as many in the Bible had a thorn in their flesh God chose to not take away, I feel like my fibromyalgia is my thorn. When I overdo it, when I eat incorrectly, when I work and work and don’t allow God to provide me strength – my body shuts down.
Some days, especially in the cold winter or extreme heat of summer, I wake up and my body hurts before I even do anything. I may not have done anything wrong, it’s just my body’s reaction. So I don’t have control over how my body feels necessarily, but I have control whether my mind stays focused on the pain. Where is my spotlight?
The days where I constantly come back to, “Oh I hurt, my back hurts, my joints hurt, I’m exhausted”…are the days I feel depleted and depressed. Days I wake up in pain and I choose to go to Jesus to provide me the strength to walk through the day and I focus on Him; Focus on the mission He’s given me on earth, then I have the strength to get through.
I may have to rest extra (and rest is important), but it just reminds me I need Jesus and this body will not last forever. One day I will be made new.
I ask you today, “Where is your spotlight?”
Every day I have to come back to this question, whether it’s actually this exact question or just reassessing why I’m feeling the way I feel, and the choices I’ve made to get there.
Is my spotlight on my pain, the TV, news, or social media instead of the truth of God? Did I fill my mind with trash instead of what’s pure and good? (I remember when I was a teenager hearing a pastor say “garbage in = garbage out”.) What you put in will come out.
Am I abiding in Jesus as my ultimate strength and filling my mind with Him and His truth?
I truly hope I’m found faithful to “rise and shine and not rise and whine.” (quote credit: Dan Meers)
Will you too?
Father God,
Help me today to stay and remain in You. Abide in You, and in the strength Jesus provides. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength, but not when I am not abiding with Jesus. May I be found faithful to always come to You for my strength, and provide me the joy to rise and shine, and not rise and whine, no matter my circumstances or physical feelings. I love you.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
© 2023 Susan M. Clabaugh. All Rights Reserved with Encouragement in Daily Living LLC.
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