Following the Way with Focused Attention

We do not own a dog, unlike half the people in the neighborhood and world! Yet we seem to spend a lot of time with the four-legged kids of our children and grandchildren. Not surprisingly, most people, including our dear ones, turn to pets as family members and companions.  And increased time outdoors and decreased anxiety and depression are a healthy bonus of pet ownership.

As our kids were training new doggie family members, I kept hearing the command “Leave It!” This is a cue that teaches their dogs to turn away from whatever they are focused on and back to their master. It essentially tells their dogs to “stop looking at that or eating that” and pay attention to me, often with the expectation of receiving a reward.

The authority and “doggedness” of “Leave It” captured my attention and I starting using it when a conversation was going awry to redirect attention to something more positive. Now it seems lodged in my mind as a quick reminder to let go of unhealthy distractions, both mental and spiritual, that keep me from the rewards of following the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ.

PRACTICE the “Leave It” command.

SEE the REWARD. When we turn our attention with an open gaze to the One we love, we are rewarded with seeing God looking at us with presence and power.

“I look at him, He looks at me.  Sitting in quiet, letting God love me.” This mutual gaze in silence is not empty, but a deep connection of being present and open to divine love.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

Contemplating the Lord’s glory, thinking deeply or reflecting on God’s beauty, and focusing our gaze or attention on Christ is where we will see a gradual life and heart transformation. As we “Leave It” and turn away from distraction, addiction, or anxiety, we can turn our gaze back to our primary relationship with God.

BE QUICK to RESPOND. Say to yourself “Leave It” as soon as you see the distraction approaching, or the temptation overtaking. Listen to the Spirit cue’s that warn you of time wasters, negative thinking, and mean conversations.

MAKE it PERSONAL. Start this Practice with something easy to control and then work on other areas in your life that need transformation. Examples might be leaving your phone for an hour, or holding back a criticism of someone close to you.

“Contemplative prayer isn’t looking to get anything from God; it’s just looking at God. “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.” Few of us even realize this type of prayer is a possibility. It’s this deeper layer of prayer that I find both most challenging and most rewarding. Challenging not because it’s unpleasant (the opposite, in fact) but because it requires the very capacity of which our world schemes to rob me: attention.” ― John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did