Meaning

The things that we decide to focus on, what meaning do we give them? What "inner significance" do you give to the things that you focus on when a surprise happens in your life? This is the second decision that you will make to determine your destiny. When something happens and you place your focus on something do you think is this the end or the beginning, am I being punished or rewarded? The meaning you give to it will determine how you feel and how you act. Let's take the example from yesterday. Two people in the same house experience the same event of someone giving them food for Thanksgiving. One focuses on having to be given food, one focuses on the fact that they got food. This leads the first to give it the meaning that they are worthless because some had to give them something. The second gives it the meaning that people care about me and each other. This leads each to a feeling and making a decision about how to act that will determine the outcome of their lives, but again, more on that tommorrow. Let's look at Paul again.

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Look at this in the light of the inner significance that Paul gave what he focused on. He could see that God cared about him. He also had the chance to let this mean that God was punishing him. Paul could have choosed this if he would have focused on this being a handicap. "If God is handicaping me, God must be punishing me." Instead, Paul is saying "God is giving me a gift and God cares about me." Oh, how he must feel to be confident that he is loved by God!

So what meaning do you give the things you focus on? Are you being punished? It it the beginning of something great or the end of something great? Are you being loved or hated? What you choose to focus on and the meaning that you give it will determine how you will feel. Feelings will drive your decisions, your actions, in life. Today be more aware of what you focus on and notice the meaning that you give it. Notice how you feel about that situation then. See if you have any other choices about this event that you can make. What would it mean to you and how would you feel then? This is the second decision you make that shape where you are going in life, you destiny.

Namaste'