The Chair

I recently wrote a blog post about circus lions. Well, I have learned something new about them. Do you know why a lion tamer holds a chair when he's in the ring with the lions? The chair breaks the lions focus. The lion becomes confused and instead of focusing on the tamer, he tries to focus on all four legs of the chair. 

Our enemy the devil tries his best to break our focus. He holds up a "chair" and we, like the lion become confused. We lose focus and don't know what to do next.

A few years ago, I couldn't understand what was happening and why God had allowed so much confusion and pain. All my focus was on my situation and how confused I was. Confusion led to doubt and doubt led to unbelief. I felt as if I was sinking into depression. The enemy had me so distracted that I didn't even know how to pray. I also neglected God's Word during that difficult time. But praise God, even when we are faithless He remains faithful!

When I had lost my focus, God was faithful to send men and women of God our way to get my focus back where it needed to be. I told this woman of God how I was feeling. I felt like a failure and that I was fading away into depression. I won't ever forget what happened next. She stopped me right there in my living room and had me stand up and look her in the eye. She told me to never speak those words again. Then she told me to look at her and say "I am not a failure." That was so hard to say because I truly felt I was. Finally through tears I uttered those words. Then she had me to say "God is for me."  As truth was spoken to me and as I spoke truth, my focus moved back to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith. 

Our enemy wants nothing more than to so distract us that we take our eyes off of the only One who can help and comfort us. I learned my lesson, I will fight to keep my focus on Him no matter what "chair" the devil throws in my face to  confuse me and cause me to lose focus. 

God is not the author of confusion but of peace. Confusion leads to doubting who God is and that doubt eventually leads to unbelief. I can't afford to lose my focus! What "chair" is the enemy distracting you with? Will you hold fast to His truth and stand firm determined to keep your focus on Jesus? 

I love the Amplified version of Hebrews 12:1&2

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross,disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

We can physically see the "chair" in front us. Our circumstances and problems are most definitely visible but they are temporary. We are called to focus on the unseen things which are eternal and believe that God is able to bring good out of any situation.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18