Raindrops pelted the roof of the car that drove me and my coworker friend from the airport to our hotel in Monrovia.
It was an early Sunday morning in June, and we were in Liberia to meet people who received God’s Word through your generosity and to learn about the ministry you’re making possible in this West African nation.
As the old car radio crackled to life, I noticed our driver was listening to a church service. Despite my exhaustion from 24 straight hours of travel and the lull of the pouring rain, I felt God urging me to pay attention and keep my tired brain awake just a little longer. After several heartfelt worship hymns came 15 church announcements. With each announcement, I noticed that even the negative or challenging reports were reframed into praises with an emphatic declaration: “Praise God!” or “Good news!”
The gratitude I heard in this worship service made me realize how often I lose focus and forget to praise God. How easy it is to pray for what I want while disregarding the blessings God has showered on me!
Like the rain on the car blurring my view of the Liberian landscape, there are many pleasures that can distract us from Christ. We pursue earthly treasures like career, possessions, power, and influence because we’re promised they’ll make us happy. And they do—temporarily. But the happiness doesn’t last, and we continue seeking our fulfillment in the wrong places.
Hearing a church service on the other side of the world reminded me that true wealth comes not from worldly sources, but from Christ. When we focus on him, we experience fulfilling joy that goes beyond circumstantial happiness. In fact, the Bible tells us that those who value Jesus above all are rich—rich in love, kindness, and the other fruits of the Spirit. Making Jesus our life’s focus changes our:
1. Attitudes
When we reframe our lives to focus on all that God has done for us, we can thank him in every circumstance as the Holy Spirit works in us to produce fruit and make us more like Christ. We can say, “Praise God!” during the most difficult, uncomfortable, or heartbreaking times, knowing that God is still good. And as our attitudes change, we’re ready to look for evidence of God’s blessings all around us (Romans 6:23; James 1:17).
2. Abilities
The power of God in us is stronger than we often realize. God hands us situations beyond our control because he wants us to learn to trust him. When we are overwhelmed and cannot handle circumstances on our own, we can trust that God’s power equips us to handle every situation with kindness, grace, and excellence (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:5).
3. Actions
The apostle Paul reminds us to do everything to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). From daily chores to life-changing decisions, God knows that we experience a richer, fuller life when we trust him. When we focus on Jesus and allow him to change our perspectives, we can better follow God’s will and advance his kingdom.
As you seek to focus your heart on Christ, I invite you to meditate on Psalm 34 today and challenge yourself to see how many blessings you can count!
“I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him.”
—PSALM 34:1
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