2 Corinthians 4:18 9/10/2019*

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

This chapter recognizes the fact that we live in a fallen world in which we are getting older and wasting away…This verse is at the end of the chapter and while it acknowledges these trials it says we shouldn’t stare at them.

So, the question we must as ourselves is …what are our eyes fixed on?

Financial crisis?  Health issues? Family problems? Employment difficulties? ...This verse says all these things have one thing in common – they are temporary. 

They are used to distract us and take our focus off eternal matters.

In a shell game the trick is to not be distracted by the empty shells. Never look away from the shell that contains the prize. No matter what happens you never let it out of your sight. Life is the same way…you must never let the urgent distract you from the important.

We all have a long list of problems…regardless of our well-crafted on-line image…everyone is struggling with something. We also all have a long list of things for which we should be thankful. 

The tone of your life will be based on which list you focus on.

You must decide what you fix your eyes on realizing that your soul is eternal, and nothing temporary is ever going to satisfy it.   

Constant emphasis on temporary problems, possessions, and experiences will lead to a shallow life that swings wildly between despair and happiness.  But focusing on eternal things will create a solid foundation that leads to a life that radiates joy regardless of circumstances.

The key is understanding that it is a choice…and choices have consequences. 

So, decide today to place your attention on the everlasting.  Only give a passing glance at the temporary and build your foundation on the fact that we are “aliens and strangers” passing through this world on our way to our eternal home.

The first thing you learn in most sports…is the most important thing you will learn in life…. Block out distractions and keep your eye on the ball.

“Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson