Whatever Is True: Change Your Focus and Change Your Life
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8, NIV
The geese are flying south again. I watch them from the yard with a grateful heart. Lilac clouds are stacked like strips of wet wool over a sinking sun, and crickets croon like they’re crying out for love. It all feels like a reminder of the importance of focusing on what is true and good in life.
As I savor God’s gifts, something in me shifts.
I’m pulled out of the rhythms of productivity and hurry and into a state of mind that feels worshipful and peaceful.
I’m suddenly aware that this backyard is holy ground.
Whatever Is True
A few years ago, I read about something called soft fascination. Soft fascination is slowing down to marvel at the intricacies of something beautiful—like watching a honeybee search for pollen or stopping to study a flower.
Science shows that by engaging in even a few moments of soft fascination, our brains perform better on cognitive tests. We have more clarity, creativity, and even more peace of mind.
Centuries ago, the Apostle Paul wrote the following words to the Philippian church: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
I can’t help but notice the way this verse aligns with modern-day scientific research. Focusing on God’s good gifts is good for us.
As I rest in the glow of the late-summer twilight, I consider how my life would be different if I applied the principle of focusing on whatever is true and good to all the parts of this life I’ve been given.
What if I learned to look into the faces of my loved ones like this might be our last day together on this green earth?
What if I learned to peel the potatoes and stir the soup as if I were laying hands on the miraculous?
How would my life be different if driving across town became an opportunity to thank God for tulips and train whistles and boulevards shaded by gnarly oaks?
How Focusing on Whatever Is True and Good Promotes Emotional Maturity
Dr. Jim Wilder, author of Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church That Transforms, writes:
“The emotionally mature person is not the one with a starved, deprived existence, but rather one that reaches out and embraces and furthers all that is good—everything that is good. And that’s a long list. You can start just with simple beauty. It’s very hard to be grumpy when you’re looking at a beautiful rose—try it. It’s turning to what is good that fills out the life of the emotionally and spiritually mature person. As you step into spiritual maturity, you step into the wonderful world of God so rich with good things that we won’t have enough time to concentrate on them.”
I can’t help but consider the remarkable reality of these words. If I want to grow in emotional maturity, I must grow in embracing God’s good gifts. It’s all much simpler than we often make it out to be.
Focusing on whatever is true and good holds the potential to change our lives. Let’s talk about how we might grow in emotional maturity by learning to watch for God’s gifts.
An Invitation to Shift Your Focus
Your invitation today is simple: Slow your pace to give thanks for three beautiful gifts every day this week.
At the end of each day, pull out a journal and ask the Lord to remind you of three beautiful moments from your day. Describe each moment in detail and savor God’s good gifts.
At the end of the week, look back over the entries in your journal. These words tell a story, and even if it doesn’t feel like an exciting story, God was present in each of these moments. He is using these moments to weave your life together, and his gifts are found along the journey.
You unwrap a gift from God every time you give thanks for his tender fingerprints impressed upon your days.
Take It a Step Further
If this activity is life-giving for you, take it a step further and commit to taking three photos per day for one week. Capture photos of beautiful moments, and you will slow your pace as you chase beauty in this way.
Every time you notice a blessing, before snapping a photo, take a breath and thank God for his gift.
Remember, this isn’t about waiting for a perfect sunset or gallery-worthy pose from your dog. We are focusing on whatever is true, good, and pure in our ordinary moments.
Pause to snap an image of a steaming bowl of oatmeal, a stack of unread books at your bedside, or a glass of milk on the countertop. Take a moment to capture the image of little hands clenching a crayon or a toy. Step outside and photograph a sunset, a snowflake, or a flower.
These everyday moments make up the fabric of your life, and there is goodness woven through the fabric. Too often, we're simply too hurried to notice God's goodness in the ordinary. #Godsgoodness Click To Tweet
Keep It in the Secret Place
Lastly, resist the urge to turn this activity into a social event. You’re probably going to feel tempted to post your most beautiful photos on social media. There’s nothing wrong with sharing God’s beauty. However, for one week, I challenge you to cultivate the spiritual discipline of secrecy.
Every moment of connection with God doesn’t have to turn into a post to share with the world. I’ve found that this sort of secrecy—keeping some moments hidden and held alone with the Lord—is one of the most powerful ways to deepen my intimacy with him.
A Free Devotional to Help You Slow Down and Focus on Whatever Is True and Good
Would you like less stress and deeper peace in life? I have a gift for you today: My free online devotional Unrushed: Slow Your Pace and Embrace the Fully-Present Life. Click here, and I’ll send this free online devotional to your email inbox!
These Two Books are Free on Kindle Unlimited as eBooks and Also Available in Print:
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or for 12.99 in print right here. (You can sign up for a free three-month Kindle Unlimited trial if you are not a member.) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
Calling All Moms and Daughters!
Additionally, my 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section. Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book! You can find this book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or buy a print copy for 11.99 right here.
