For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Rom. 1:21)
Expanded Passage: Romans 1:21
We notice more of what we’ve been thinking about. Every time I buy a new pair of shoes, I notice what other people are wearing on their feet. I love cars—so when I’m researching a new car model, or have heard about a car recall, I notice those vehicles out on the road frequently. Our kids do this, too. As our oldest has learned to ride a bicycle, he’s noticing other kids taking their first rides without training wheels.
Our money, our time, and our habits are all good indicators of where we’re paying attention, because life tends to follow our attention. Paul writes in Romans 1 about people who know God, but who (over time) refused to keep their attention on God, and so grew dark-hearted, because their life and their attention pulled them out of the light.
As much as we would like to villainize this, and say, “We wouldn’t do that,” the odds are, our focus is already on something that is casting a shadow over the light God calls us to abide in. The good news is—just like that pair of sneakers, or that car we see driving down the road—we can train our attention toward things that pull us back to the light, instead of following our attention wherever it wanders.
Take action to train your focus on God’s priorities.
Ethan Linder is the discipleship pastor at College Wesleyan Church (IN) and contributing editor for Education and Clergy Development of The Wesleyan Church.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
