The Infinite vs. the Infinitesimal (Friday Devotional)

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

- Philippians 4:8

Wednesday night after church, my wife suggested that we go for a short walk before heading home. We live close to Lake Waco, and there’s a popular trail that overlooks the water and provides a beautiful view of the sunset, so she suggested we take advantage of it before it got dark.

Unfortunately, the gorgeous sunset is not my enduring memory of that brief walk along the lake. That’s because, as the sun dipped below the horizon, swarms of gnats started to swirl around, flying in our faces and trying their hardest to get in our mouths. Far from enjoying an idyllic sunset stroll, we wound up spending most of the time swatting at the air before finally turning back and heading for the car.

What should have been a beautiful moment was obscured by an unsightly distraction.

When you think about it, that’s not such an unusual disappointment—notes of grace are often drowned out by the blaring dissonance of anger, gossip, envy, and bitterness. In the daily swirl of negative headlines, interpersonal conflicts, and general stressfulness, God’s blessings can be so obscured that you barely even notice them.

In the face of these constant earthly disruptions, the Bible teaches us to dwell on the godly, those things which are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, and commendable. You cannot necessarily remove the distractions which buzz around you each day, trying to pull your focus away from God, but you can remove their power. By fixing your eyes on Jesus instead of the distractions and by dwelling on his way instead of your own, you show where your heart truly lies.

This week, I encourage you to stop several times a day and observe where your focus is. Are you swatting at the air, trying in vain to force away distractions? Or are you looking through those distractions to that which ultimately matters? Even the most seemingly insignificant distractions can damage your relationship with God if you allow them to block your view of Him—so with eyes fixed on the Lord, don’t let the infinitesimal obscure the glorious.