“Focus On The Little Things”
It may be a basketball team in the NCAA tournament, a golf pro in a PGA event, or a NASCAR driver coming from behind to win The question is always asked: "How did you come from so far back to win?" The response is always the same - " we kept our composure and bit off a little at a time."
All of us are in a race everyday and all of us fall behind for one reason or another but it doesn't have to keep us from winning in the game of life. All we need to do is just take one step at a time and stay in the race. The big picture can be overwhelming, even cause so much anxiety that we get crippled in the race of life because we can't see how we'll accomplish all that needs to happen or we focus on the obstacles that are before us – even the “seemingly” impossible situations that make us want to just quit.
God knows the situation. That is why He gave us His Word and continues to gives us just what we need a little at a time.
Romans 15:4 (ESV) For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
We tend to look too far ahead and worry about next month or next year. Jesus told us to ask God to provide today's bread. In the Old Testament the children of Israel received manna from heaven on a daily basis. God even provided the Promised Land little by little. He knows we get overwhelmed by the big picture.
Matthew 6:11 (ESV) Give us this day our daily bread,
If you want to live an empowered life today - focus on the little things, consider them to be the important steps to the bigger picture. Remember you are laying the foundation for something great. As the NASCAR driver, the professional golfer, or the basketball coach knows -- even when you seem behind you get back not by pushing the panic button and trying to get ahead quickly, but by doing the little things.
Taking little steps and believing it will pay off in the long run is called FAITH. When Jesus was asked by His disciples how they might increase their faith, He had this to say:
Luke 17:5-10 (ESV) 5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 7 "Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? 8 Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.' "
Notice, Jesus did not go "POOF" and instantly instill an abundance of FAITH. He did give them additional motivation and He did provide instruction. "Faithfully doing the little things pays off in the long run." Little things in life like being faithful to be a person of integrity, being faithful to God’s Word, being a faithful member of a local church, and being faithful as a good steward of your time, talent, and treasure.
Anything you are trying to accomplish will require this same kind of faith in action and it comes down to believing the little things will get you there in the long run so DON'T GIVE UP! It will pay off in the long run.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
Bob is the pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church, Clearwater, Florida. See www.ccpconline.org for church information and listen to Bob’s latest sermons.
Join us April 10, 2010 at 7:30 a.m. for the
Fourth Annual
“ONE BREATH FROM DEATH – LOOK WHAT GOD CAN DO”
www.bobbrubaker.com/century.
Join us (invite your friends) for the fourth annual century in celebration of God sparing Bob Brubaker’s life on April 6, 2005.
Just so you know, Bob was dying from pneumonia caused by a rare lung disease called diffuse pan bronchialitis. Bob was sent to National Jewish Medical Center in Denver, CO where he received treatment. In the midst of the doctors “making him very sick in order to make him better,” he went through an open lung surgical biopsy. The following day his chest tube was pulled and his lung collapsed sending air through his body and closing off his airway. Finally a doctor inserted a new chest tube that saved Bob’s life but the air that had escaped his lung traveled throughout Bob’s body, causing him to swell to five times his normal size.
God showed Himself great in not only sparing Bob’s life, giving him a great witness in the midst of his recovery in the hospital, but the root cause of Bob’s illness was discovered. He went through rigorous treatments, and has completed a marathon, a half ironman triathlon, and four full ironman triathlons since his one breath from death experience. For complete details of his story see Bob’s website: www.bobbrubaker.com and follow the link.
In 2006 a group of riders joined Bob for weekly rides to encourage his return to cycling and triathlons. As they rode together, Bob learned of the desire in many from the group to complete a century (100 mile) ride so they organized the first One Breath From Death – Look What God Can Do Century. Since 2006, the ride has moved to various locations but the purpose is the same - to celebrate God’s goodness in sparing Bob’s life. “Look What God Can Do.” Bob has learned to take every breath as a gift from God, and encourages others to recognize God's blessings in their lives as well.
Thank you for being part of our annual celebration.
Godspeed,
Bob and Jan Brubaker
The Course: Withlacoochee Trail
We will begin and end at the Trailhead located just East of I-75 on SR 50
For details - follow the Withlacoochee Trail link from www.bobbrubaker.com/century.
The trail is straight forward – the trail is 40 miles in length from the start of this trailhead to the end of the trail. Turn around whenever you need to turn around. For those going the full century (100 miles) turn around at the end, return 10 miles, go back to the end, and then come back to the starting point. Otherwise, half the distance you want to do and follow the mile markers printed on the trail. We will have water and Nutrition at the SR 44 intersection.
