Where is my focus?

Kathy and I are on Logos Hope for a couple of months, along with 400 other people living in community. Having been here now two weeks I see the dangers of community living once again! After living with me for 28 years, Kathy knows the good, bad and ugly of Mark Knight. She can choose to focus on the good in me or the bad. Both are present.

We like to tell each other of all the bad that is happening and what is not happening within community. I see so much good here. After being involved in the people business for almost 4 decades I have seen it all. Nothing shocks me, just saddens me.

So what do we focus on in each other? You will find what you focus. Can I suggest we live a far happier life is we focus on the good and deal with the other stuff as needed. We need to be realistic that we will fail each other, we will fall below the ideal expectation we place on each other.

Choose to have a good day until there is a good reason to have a bad one!!!!

Logos Hope

Do I surround myslef with friends or do I stand before God alone?

There are times in our lives when intense circumstances turn up the speed of learning or a fresh perspective. As I was reading Mathew 14 it reminded me of the times surrounding Mike’s death.

Jesus took His disciples with Him to the garden, a place He liked to go. He told them to wait there whilst He went on ahead, but He took His 3 close friends with Him. After going a little further He told those 3 to wait whilst He went by Himself and spend time with His father. On this occasion He referred to His father as “abba”, dad, pop, daddy etc.

Think of three concentric circles. We all have friends in the outer circle. We know them, spend time most often in groups with them and meet them on occasions either in groups of individually. The middle circle our friends who are close to us, they have known the good, bad and ugly of our lives. We relate to them on the emotional level and being vulnerable with them is an attribute of our relationship.

Then there is our relationship with God! Can I honestly say I have such an awesome friendship that I call Him abba, not because its a name but it reflects the type of relationship I have with Him?

Friends will come and go.Jesus asked His 3 friends to keep a lookout. He knew Judas was going to betray Him and he did not want him turning up with others to take Him at that point. But they fell asleep. Jesus needed help at that moment, but they failed Him. We as a family did not experience any failure from our friends during a difficult time, but we had to journey alone with our abba father into the inner circle.

One day, the friends that surround us will be gone. Do I daily spend time with abba father, cultivating a relationship and asking for help in the assignment He has given me? Jesus was tempted to give up and avoid the path He had to take. The inner strengh He needed came as He poured out His emotion to His father and His father counseled and encouraged Him.

So which circle gets most of my energy and focus!