Focus

I don't have a sexual addiction problem.

You don't have a sexual addiction problem.

You don't have an alcohol problem. Or a drug problem. Or an anger problem. Or a gossip problem. Or a pride problem. Or a fear problem. Or...or...or...

We have a problem, but it isn't any of these. Our problem is a focus problem.

See, when we get lost in these sins, the root of the problem always lies with our focus. No matter what the sin struggle is, the heart of the problem is always the same: we have taken our focus off of Jesus and placed it on something else. And more often than not, that something is ourselves.

Unfortunately, we often run into the same problem when we try to find victory over our addictions and struggles. Many of us, myself included, have tried and failed and tried and failed and tried and failed to overcome to the point that we simply feel hopeless. Why? Why can't we get there? Why, when we so desperately want to overcome, are we unable to do it?

I think the reason we are unable to overcome is the same reason we ended up in this sin in the first place: our focus problem. I may be the only one, but I bet I speak for a lot of us when I say that when I have tried to overcome my sexual addiction, I have spent all my energy and focus and effort on not sinning. And there we find the problem.

You see, when we focus on not sinning, our focus is still on the sin! Sure, we're now focused on not doing it instead of focused on doing it, but our focus is still on the sin. That's a problem. Our focus should only. ever. always. be on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" and to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." So how? How do we throw off this sin and run the race of life the way we're supposed to? Verse 2 gives us the answer. We do it by "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

Wow. We don't get rid of sin by trying to get rid of sin. (In fact, I think the devil would be perfectly content if none of us ever sinned again, so long as he could keep us focused on not sinning instead of focused on Jesus.) We get rid of sin by fixing our eyes on Jesus.

The truth is, wherever we fix our eyes, the rest of our being will follow. Where will we fix our eyes today?