The One Thing

It's the one thing
You are my thing (INXS)

When I was a young boy, there were so many things I thought I was going to do in life. I wanted to jog the whole state of Florida. I wanted to make an Olympic team and play for my country. I wanted to learn another language. I wanted to sing like David Lee Roth and play the piano like Billy Joel. I wanted to start my own business. I wanted to make two professional sports teams in the same year. I wanted to get a full basketball scholarship to Florida State University.

Out of all the things I wanted to do, I only ended up doing one thing. I went to Florida State University on a basketball scholarship. As I reflect back on my accomplishment, it struck me that it took all of my focus and energy to earn a full basketball scholarship to a major university in the Atlantic Coast Conference. As I matured, I realized I would be more successful if I focused on one thing.

Life begins to make sense when you can narrow it down to the one thing you should live for.

Facing the end of his life while in prison, the mature Apostle Paul had discovered the secret to living life well. Apostle Paul was content in any circumstance, and rejoiced in the Lord no matter what he was going through because he lived for the one thing: to know Christ and make Him known. In a letter of thanksgiving and exhortation to the church at Philippi, he writes, "13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

During his presidential campaign, Governor Mike Huckabee's top assistant was asked a question about the demands of her job. To the surprise of the reporters, she responded by commenting on how her job was not difficult. One confused reporter asked her how her job could be an easy one. She responded by saying, "All I have to do is please one person and that is Governor Huckabee."

Living life is much easier when we live for the one thing.

In this faced paced busy world we live in today that leaves so many of us stressed out and on the edge, take some time to reevaluate your life to determine if you are living for the one thing. Maybe you need to stop doing so many things and focus on the one thing. I know this can be quite a challenge, but it will be well worth making any necessary changes.

Are you living for the one thing?

Remember, life is joyful, fulfilling, easier and makes more sense when we learn to live for the one thing: Christ Jesus!