The Reoriented Life: Why Jesus Still Gets My Focus
I grew up in a church culture that taught me to give God my best—my time, my attention, my focus. And to be honest, some of that wasn’t healthy. A lot of it was rooted in obligation more than obedience, in fear more than freedom. But even in the midst of that, something true was being planted.
I was being oriented—formed to live toward God.
That early formation shaped how I saw the world. It led me to Bible college, to ministry, to years of preaching and pastoring. My whole life has been a kind of dedication to what I sensed God was inviting me into. But I’ve come to realize something: orientation doesn’t stay fixed on its own.
Life has a way of pulling your focus.
It’s not always rebellion. Sometimes it’s survival. The pressures of leadership, the noise of modern life, the distractions that come with trying to juggle calling, family, work—it’s easy to look up and realize your eyes are no longer fixed where they once were.
Distraction is Not Neutral
I’ve seen the quote floating around:
“Show me your bank account and your calendar, and I’ll show you what you value.”
It may sting a bit, but it’s not wrong.
Because attention is never accidental. And distraction is never neutral.
At times along the way, I’ve noticed I was giving more of myself—my mental energy, emotional space, my time—to things that weren’t necessarily bad… but weren’t forming me into the image of Jesus either.
John Mark Comer says it plainly in Practicing the Way:
“Attention is the beginning of devotion.”
That quote hits hard. Because you can give your attention to anything that’s not intentionally destructive and it still not be giving it to Jesus.
Without noticing, we can drift from devotion into distraction. Still preaching. Still serving. But something in our spirit will remain off-center.
Reorientation Begins with Small Surrenders
When I think about the spiritual life, I don’t think about big, dramatic gestures. I think about the small surrenders. The choices we make each day to align our hearts with God’s.
Reorientation doesn’t mean quitting everything and starting over. It means naming where our focus has shifted—and choosing to return.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
— Matthew 6:33
That isn’t a religious checklist. It’s an invitation. An ordering of priorities that flows from trust. And trust is often forged not in mountaintop moments, but in quiet, faithful recalibrations.
That’s what I’ve been seeking to continuously learn to do.
To reach for scripture before I reach for my phone.
To build rhythms of rest that remind me I’m not what I produce.
To give my best attention—not just my leftover time—to the One who holds all things together.
It’s a daily choice–and one that’s not always simple or easy.
As Comer puts it:
“To apprentice under Jesus, you have to adopt not only his theology but his lifestyle.”
Why Jesus Still Gets My Focus
This isn’t about going back to legalism. I’ve lived that. It left me tired and hollow.
This is about rediscovering the joy of being with Jesus—not just believing in Him.
At this point in my life, Jesus still gets my focus because nothing else has proven worthy of it.
Not success. Not influence. Not stability.
They’re fine. But they can’t carry the weight of my soul.
So I’m choosing the reoriented life. Each new day.
Not because I’ve got it all together—but because I want to live from the Center.
Because I believe that who I become is directly shaped by who I behold.
And because Jesus, even now, is still worth looking at.
Scriptures to Hold the Center
Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the kingdom
Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above
Hebrews 12:2 – Fix your eyes on Jesus
Romans 12:2 – Be transformed by the renewing of your mind
