Day 315- Stay Focused
📖Daily Reading
2 Timothy 2
🎥 Video
Join me on my morning walk as we rise and shine together by walking through the Bible daily and learn a practical applicable coaching nugget from the ultimate life coach - our creator (whatever that means to you). No judgement zone here, all are welcome, we are all on a spiritual journey because we are after all spiritual beings having a human experience.
📝 Reflection
2 Timothy 2: 4-6, 16-17
“Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.”
“Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.”
I needed this message this morning - stay focused. Avoid wasting time on foolish things and talk. He compares it to spreading like cancer! Yikes! I lived much of my life in people pleasing mode. I was trying really hard all the time to make others happy, do the ‘right’ thing, be ‘good’, etc.. Spending time in reaction mode to others whims desires and moods. I had no idea what it is I was supposed to do, what I wanted, and cultivating my own God given gifts and talents.
This is an exhausting way to live. I can completely relate to the concept of it spreading like cancer. Trying to manage and be responsible for other peoples moods and desires is like trying to ‘herd cats’. It is a complete misuse of my time and energy. If you are doing this, I am talking you too! If you aren’t sure, but you can identify with being exhausted and overwhelmed and the idea of trying to be good and serving all the time. You might be a high functioning and over functioning co-dependent.
Paul does not want this to happen to Timothy. It will dilute his own efficacy and the message and mission he is responsible for carrying on. This is why Paul uses such strong analogies of being a solder, and athlete and a hardworking farmer. These things require staying focused on the job. Soldiers should not be getting involved with civilian life, that is not for them. Likewise athletes need to stay focused on the game and the rules not up in the stands with the spectators.
Performance at a high level requires focus. The church needed Timothy to stay focused. The world we all need each other to stay focused. Can you imagine if we harnessed our energy rather than scattering it, how amazing it would be? This can be done by not only staying focused on what you are here to do, but taking good care of yourself. Loving yourself. By loving yourself you are loving God and your neighbors. This is the way God’s love operates
Many of us got the message backwards because humans try to get love by pleasing each other. Being liked, being satisfied with human approval as a counterfeit for God’s love and living focused on your mission. Many of our own thoughts and beliefs get in our way. We think that humility and selfless ness means to not take care of our selves. Sacrificing our focus and our mission and think of our selves as good for this sacrifice. I don’t think this is at all what God has in mind.
When we think of ourselves as created and loved by God, who are we not to fulfill our potential and be focused on our mission? Paul’s analogy of the soldier not being focused on getting his enlisted officer’s approval and instead getting involved in civilian matters is exactly this. God is our enlisting officer and we are scattering our energy and focus by trying to get the approval of our fellow humans.
This is something that I have to keep constant focus on personally. My flesh and my ego love getting the pats on the head, and the ‘atagirl’ praises, and knowing how much people appreciated my kindness and patience. But if that kindness and patience isn’t coming from a place of overflow and honesty? Is it really kind? Not so much! This is ‘love with strings attached’. This is my pride trying to fragilize others, being overly understanding, excusing or allowing bad behavior from others is not kind.
✍🏼Daily Journal Prompt
My favorite question that I ask myself now that helps me to stay focused, honest are truly loving is: “What would LOVE do/say here?” Feel free to use this question for yourself to help you bring some of your scattered energy back to yourself and stay focused on your mission.
📖Tomorrows Reading
2 Timothy 3
Coaching Opportunity
My inaugural OWN IT! For Good! group & 1:1 coaching is well underway and it is amazing. The participants are absolutely loving it and experiencing major aha's, break throughs and life changing mindset and heartset shifts. Please let me know if you are interested in experiencing this as well, I am considering kicking off another group in January of 2023. Let's make 2023 the year of YOU by laying a solid foundational mind set! The world needs what only you have to offer! Give yourself the best gift ever, the best version of you is ready to rise & shine!
Book your free📞Wake Up Call today to learn if this is what you have been waiting for!
If you have stuck with me this far, then you are not reading this by accident, I believe God has a plan for you and is calling you forward!😉🤩
What 'they' are saying so far:
One current participant in the inaugural OWN IT! For Good! cohort just messaged me this morning saying: 'Felecia, I am loving this platform and this is seriuosly one of the best things I have ever done - you are really onto somthing with the approach you are taking here!" - C.K. Organizational Psychologist and Executive Leader
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