Learning to Focus, Learning to Love (Thirty Days To Greater Fruitfulness, Day 18)

This blog has been temporarily overtaken by my Thirty Days To Greater Fruitfulness Challenge.  You can find out more by checking out the Introduction.

In some ways, today was a rehashing of something the Lord spoke to me about yesterday.  While I was waiting on the Lord, the Lord started to talk to me about how scattered I can be sometimes.  And in the midst of Him showing me How scattered I am, He said, “You’re scattered because you want to know about everything going on around you. You cannot focus because you want to show your sense of control through your understanding.”

He then began to break down the difference between love and knowledge.  Of course we all know that knowledge puffs you up, but love builds up others (1 Corinthians 8:1). But He began to show me that this constantly searching and grasping for understanding begins to make a person proud and give them a sense they are powerful.  Then he showed me the nature of love and how love is focused.  Love isn’t in a hurry and it can linger with someone beyond the initial “information grab” that allows a person to feel like they’ve grasped a person or a idea.  Carnal knowledge will create a Christianity that is infinitely wide but very shallow.  But love will push a person to linger in the presence of the Lord and even in the presence of others, creating depth beyond what many of us know.

So today I’ve been trying to focus on things more simply and not be in such a hurry.  I’ve been trying to love and linger beyond my initial understanding of a person or a concept.  And I’m beginning to enjoy lingering in the presence of the Lord in a different way than I have before.

So…no fruit in anyone else around me today…but I’m seeing some change in me and that’s a big win.

What changes are you seeing happen inside of you as you listen and obey?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Join us on the “Thirty Days to Greater Fruitfulness” experiment.  For the rest of September we are spending 30 minutes in silent prayer listening to Jesus and then acting on what He asks us to do.  Then we blog about the changes that are occurring in our lives through the marriage of listening and obedience.  It’s not too late.  If you’re just checking out that experiment feel free to jump in.  And if you want more information, you can check it out here.

Photo Credit: September WallPaper Calendar by DewDreams