Focusing
Each day you are bombarded with billions of bits of sensory input, most of which you ignore. If you tried to focus on every sound, noise, light, picture, word, smell, and talk coming your way, you’d go crazy. You were created with a special filtering system in your brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which allows you to focus on what is most important. Imagine yourself walking through a busy airport.
There are hundreds of people walking past you, lots of noise from talking, announcements being made over loudspeakers, jet airplanes taking off, lights flashing, little shops advertising their goods, and small restaurants with the smell of food wafting about. How much of this do you notice? Probably not much, especially if you are focused on getting somewhere. Suddenly, over the PA system, your name is announced. Amidst all of that noise and confusion your brain picks up this one bit of information. How can it do this?
Thanks to a bundle of nerves the size of your finger that runs from your upper spinal cord deep into your brain stem, God created you with an internal secretary that helps filter millions of bits of information coming at you at any given moment. The RAS helps you to be awake, to focus, and to set goals. When you decide you need to get to a certain destination, this part of your brain helps keep you on track. It is also tuned into “red flags” or “danger” input that catches your attention and protects you.
The Lord has given us the ability to learn to focus on what is most important. We are not helpless victims of our environments. We can choose to think about the right things. Paul writes about this when he says, “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
The devil has plenty of stimuli to send your way today. What will you focus on?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9
Focusing
Each day you are bombarded with billions of bits of sensory input, most of which you ignore. If you tried to focus on every sound, noise, light, picture, word, smell, and talk coming your way, you’d go crazy. You were created with a special filtering system in your brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which allows you to focus on what is most important. Imagine yourself walking through a busy airport.
There are hundreds of people walking past you, lots of noise from talking, announcements being made over loudspeakers, jet airplanes taking off, lights flashing, little shops advertising their goods, and small restaurants with the smell of food wafting about. How much of this do you notice? Probably not much, especially if you are focused on getting somewhere. Suddenly, over the PA system, your name is announced. Amidst all of that noise and confusion your brain picks up this one bit of information. How can it do this?
Thanks to a bundle of nerves the size of your finger that runs from your upper spinal cord deep into your brain stem, God created you with an internal secretary that helps filter millions of bits of information coming at you at any given moment. The RAS helps you to be awake, to focus, and to set goals. When you decide you need to get to a certain destination, this part of your brain helps keep you on track. It is also tuned into “red flags” or “danger” input that catches your attention and protects you.
The Lord has given us the ability to learn to focus on what is most important. We are not helpless victims of our environments. We can choose to think about the right things. Paul writes about this when he says, “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
The devil has plenty of stimuli to send your way today. What will you focus on?
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9
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