Single-Minded
- Jill Miller
- Jan 11, 2017
- 3 min read
Blog – 1-11-17
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
Paul was the greatest missionary that ever lived. After being transformed on the road to Damascus through his personal encounter with Jesus, he became the apostle to the Gentiles and preached throughout the entire Roman empire. He traveled, he preached, he wrote letters. He was relentless in his pursuit of reaching others with the gospel.
As I read the verse up above, one word sticks out to me. Paul says, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task”…wait a minute. It says task, singular. It doesn’t say “the 101 things on my to-do list today.” It doesn’t say “the 10 goals I’ve laid out for the year.” It doesn’t say “my next great achievement.” It simply says the ONE thing God has given me to do. Paul pledges and proclaims that he will do that one thing to the best of his ability every day of his life, until the race is over.
Now that’s focus!
Paul was a single-minded person. He was a man sure of his purpose, and nothing was going to pull him away from it. Nothing. Not imprisonment. Not being beat. Not being hungry and feeling defeated. Not being rejected. Not anything.
As I’m still pondering and working through my goals and objectives for this year, I realize that single-mindedness is something I could use a lot more of. There are so many things I could be doing, but what should I be doing? I have to admit, I’m at a bit of a loss.
I say to people all the time, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” Easier said than done sometimes.
The problem is, I am confused about what I need to let go of. Everything I do I enjoy. Yet I know in my heart of hearts that God is asking me to pare things down and get my focus much narrower. I’m realizing that too many options are starting to muddy the waters.
How about you, my friend? Do you have a single-minded focus like Paul, or are you struggling with focus like me? If you’re like most Americans out there, I’m betting you struggle a bit too. I mean, come on, there are so many options out there. Just go try and order a sandwich from the Subway drive-through and you will see exactly what I mean! The bread, the cheese, the toppings, the sauce, the size…do you want a drink and chips with that? It takes 10 minutes to order a simple sandwich!
That same smorgasbord of options clutters our lives as well. At the end of the day, I would love my purpose to be as simple as the great apostle. Paul had one task, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace. That’s a pretty good one, I’d say.
Paul’s single-mindedness kept his life on track and helped him reach countless others for Christ. And the beautiful thing is he’s still reaching us today through the incredible letters he wrote that continue to teach us about God’s grace.
Paul has inspired me, and I’m determined to pare things down.
Is the Holy Spirit asking you to be more single-minded?
God is on the lookout for more people who will be single-minded like Paul.
Will you join me?
Hugs and love,
Jill
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