THE LAW OF FOCUS 5
Key Text:“But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”Galatians 6:4 (KJV)
One of the quickest ways to lose focus is to become too interested in how other people are progressing. You start questioning your own decisions because someone you graduated with has secured a better job, someone you started ministry with has a bigger congregation, and someone younger than you has bought a car. Suddenly, your own achievements begin to look insignificant. Social media makes this even more interesting because you are comparing your behind the scenes with somebody else’s carefully selected highlights. My friend, you cannot use another person’s celebration as evidence that God has abandoned your own story!
In John 21:18–22, after Jesus had spoken to Peter about his future, Peter turned around and asked about John: “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus redirected his attention by saying, “What is that to thee? follow thou me.” There is a powerful lesson here: Peter was receiving personal instructions about his own journey, yet his attention shifted towards another disciple’s assignment. Jesus did not ask Peter to understand John’s journey before obeying his own. Sometimes, the reason you are struggling to make progress is that you are spending too much time studying somebody else’s life instead of faithfully attending to your own assignment.
Galatians 6:4 encourages everyone to examine their own work rather than measuring their worth by another person’s achievements. This does not mean you should never learn from successful people or celebrate their progress; it means you must not allow their progress to become a reason for despising your own process. A farmer does not abandon his farm because another farmer harvested earlier; he examines his soil, improves his methods, and continues working according to the season. Someone else’s speed does not determine your timing, and someone else’s achievement does not cancel your potential. Learn from people, celebrate them, but remain faithful to the work God has placed in your hands.
Prayers and Confession
Father, deliver me from unhealthy comparison and the pressure to measure my progress by other people’s achievements. Help me to appreciate the grace at work in my life and remain faithful to my assignment. I declare that I will not abandon my journey because another person’s journey looks more exciting. I receive wisdom, patience, and discipline to keep growing. Amen.
Reflection
Whose progress has been distracting you from appreciating and developing what God has placed in your own hands?
Further Reading: John 21:18–22; Galatians 6:1–5; Philippians 3:12–14; 1 Corinthians 3:6–9.
