This week, I’ve heard several folks mention that if we could just stay focused on God, we could handle whatever comes our way. Very true! But our focus is easily distracted. The same old lies come in, so we can’t remember the truth of who God is. How do we refocus on God, and quickly?
Sometimes, the simplest solution is a childlike one. I used to work with the middle schoolers at the church. Every week, I’d pray for an interactive way to get them focused on God. I’d like to share with you an old standby that reeled them into focusing on God.
We would stand in a circle with a beach ball. The first person holding the ball named an adjective or noun that described God to them. Then they tossed the ball to another person, who named another descriptive word about God.
The game didn’t need to be fast-paced. The person catching the ball could take their time in thinking of a word. But it got everyone focused on who God is to them and on biblical truths about God. If a person really felt on the spot and couldn’t think of anything, I would give biblical hints.
While I highly recommend this game for a youth group or Sunday school class, it’s also something we can do by ourselves. Just take a beach ball, tennis ball, or whatever you have available. A crumpled piece of paper will do. Toss the ball in the air. As you catch it, name a word that describes God to you. Toss the ball up again, catch, and name another word.
The beauty of this game is that it’s easy to do, and you can tap into an endless variety of words: creator, all-powerful, compassion, loving, friend, Lord, king, shepherd, provider, steadfast, eternal. You can go on and on. You’re not limited to just a word, either. You can say a phrase that describes God: created everything, gave us life.
If you struggle to come up with words, you can ask God for help. Ask Him to prompt you with words about Him. Open your Bible and look at a psalm. You’ll see adjectives and nouns about God that will remind you who He is.
The point is not to see how many words you can name. The point is to focus on how amazing God is. Take your time. Find a word that describes Him. One word may be all you need for that day. If one word won’t do it, just tell God how you feel about Him—with words or without. That will become your prayer of adoration, straight from your heart.
You can do this exercise anytime you need to refocus on God, or anytime you need a reminder of who He is. Just take a moment to say out loud the words that come to your mind about Him: good, caring, present. Whether or not the words come easily, your entire focus will be on Him—especially if you ask Him to help you.
Let’s say I’m trying this exercise, and I just can’t think of a word. Then I will simply sit there and turn my attention to God. I won’t beat myself up because that’s self-defeating, first of all, and it’s taking my focus away from God. Instead, I’ll just sit and focus on Him. I might even say, “You are God.” That’s a word that describes Him: God. And that may be the only word I need to remember that day.
Try it out. See how it feels. See if it helps you focus on God. Notice what specifically shifts your focus to Him, and how. Is it taking the time, sitting quietly, naming who He is, opening the Bible? By noticing what shifts your focus to God on a calm day, you’ll have keys that will help you refocus on Him on a tough day.
The main thing is to remember to focus on Him.
God, please remind us to focus on You. Remind us of the many ways we can describe You and who You are to us. You are indescribably good—beyond words. But give us words to help us reflect on who You are and how wonderful You are. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Adventures with God 