Wholly - My One Word and the Battle of the Wills

I’m not good at multitasking.

In fact, I don’t believe true multitasking is even possible.

There, I’ve said it. An unpopular opinion for sure, and probably one that sets me up for pitiful glances and lots of assumptions about my less-than-efficient life.

But I’m being honest, I really don’t think the brain is designed to focus fully on more than one task at a time. I believe we are most efficient when we wholly focus on a single thing at a time.

Singly focused.

Yes, that’s the way to go for me.

Except that I can be singly focused to a fault. I can get so zoned in on a project that all other areas, in need of attention, fall to the wayside. I don’t have to convince you, you already know. That’s not good.

So, in walks that elusive word—Balance. Is it even possible? And how do I find it, if it is? I strive to find it. But often, it feels like I’m groping in the dark. Am I the only one?

Yet my mind keeps wandering back to being ‘singly focused’—the zone in which I do my best work.

And then it dawns on me, or rather, God revealed it to me.

What if I’m singly focused on God, His purpose and plan for my life? What if my single focus in life was to bring God glory in everything I do? (1 Corinthians 10:31) The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. This path would lead to true balance, the kind God designed for me, living in the center of His will.

As I pondered on what that would look like in my day-to-day, I realized a two-step process was necessary. Step one, recognize that God is wholly God and two, step down from my seat on the throne.

Sounds a lot like the Christian life, doesn’t it? Accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life and following Him. Alignment of my will with His.

But that’s when my hypocrisy stepped forward and slapped me right in the face.

Turns out I’m a multitasker after all.  I switch back and forth between God’s will and my will . . . in rapid succession . . . daily . . . even as a Christian. Sometimes I even attempt them both at once.

The problem, it seems, is that I fight to sit on the throne with God. I don’t want to give up my seat (I feel drawn to its illusion of power and control), so I try to nudge God over so that we could share the seat. It’s as if I want to be God, too. (In my own life, anyway.)

But God, He loves me too much to let this nonsense continue. He has been wooing me, reminding me, showing me that He alone is God. He wants me to know that I can wholly trust Him because He is wholly God.

Wholly:  entirely, perfectly, completely, in a whole or complete manner, solely, exclusively, to the exclusion of other things, without exception

Wow!

This year, He tells me to step down. Double mindedness is not what He wants for me. For me, His precious child, one He chose even before I was born, He offers a full, abundant life. (John 10:10) And the only way, He promises, is through being single-minded, singly focused on Him and His lavish gift of grace which reveals Him in all His glory.

It’s all about Him.

Gently, He re-adjusts my focus and my fight. Rather than fight to hold on to my seat on the throne, He infuses me with the courage to keep fighting to live a life wholly devoted to Him. A life, He reminds me, that is only possible because of the victory He has already won for me. (1 John 5:4) I breathe a sigh of relief because I know, on my own, I don’t have what it takes.

So, my friend, if you’re like me, if you’re guilty of multitasking in your Christian walk, struggling to surrender fully to God in all aspects of your life, I share two words of encouragement.

Fight on!

You may feel like you’re losing the battle many a day, but God has already won the victory, a victory He so graciously shares with us. And what’s more? He has given us everything we need for living this godly, single-minded, sold-out-to-God life. (2 Peter 1:3) 

So, keep fighting! Victory is ours!

What about you?

Looking back over 2019, in what ways did God reveal His character to you? 

Which attributes of God were clearly evident in your life?

How does God revealing Himself to you help you to surrender wholly to Him?

Grace and peace to you,

Carlie

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Wholly - My One Word and the Battle of the Wills