A Tree Stump in the Path

My bike and my world!

I was heading full-speed down a single-track on my mountain bike yesterday, when suddenly there was a tree stump in my way. Normally I would have easily been able to avoid such an obstacle by choosing a new line and adjusting my focus and body weight accordingly. But, this time I wasn't as lucky, I went full-tilt into the tree stump and flew over my handle-bars! I came out of the situation relatively unscathed, but just a bit shaken. It did get me thinking though ...

Why did I not manage to avoid this relatively benign obstacle, when I've successfully avoided hundreds like it before and many still during that very same ride? After much pondering, and reliving the incident, I came to the realisation that it was a focus issue. I hit exactly what I was looking at! I was staring at the stump, and because it took up to all of my attention I didn't have the presence of mind to choose the correct line.

What happens in life when we lose focus? There are many things out there to distract us from the plans God has for us, sometimes even seemingly good things: relationships, work, entertainment, money, sport and random problems that pop up. The question is, what are you focussed on?

The writer of Hebrews admonishes us to keep our focus on one thing and one thing only, while we run this race of life:

 " ... let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV).

Our focus should be on Jesus, He is always the right line to choose through the lightning fast single-track we call life. If our focus is on little, insignificant problems and side-shows, then we will end up tripping over them and flying into the dust. Do that enough and at some point you wont be getting back up again, you'll stay down and you'll wonder where it all went wrong.

"Keep focused on Jesus and avoid the pitfalls."