Maybe you have heard someone jokingly say: “Squirrel!” It is being used as a metaphor if someone loses focus, like a dog who immediately becomes distracted when they catch sight of a squirrel! It is not surprising that many of us can become distracted by tough times. The difficulties of life have a way of redirecting our focus from what is most important.
Readings of the Apostle Paul’s attitude when facing difficulties reminded me of how easy it is to lose focus on the Lord. Difficulties seem to have the greatest ability of interrupting our spiritual rhythm than just about anything else. I have found pain to be the most effective. Pain effectively keeps us from focusing on everything else. It is also easy to focus on the offenses of others, their words, or even our hesitation to stand up for ourselves in response.
Paul faced many distractions in his walk as a follower of Jesus. He also suffered through pain. There are times when it can be hard to relate to the positive spiritual attitude he had while suffering. One instance that comes mind is when he was being attacked by other jealous Christian leaders. I wonder if some of the verbal barbs he received were along the lines of: “He is his own worst enemy!” or “He just doesn’t know when to be quiet about his faith!” Speaking to the Christian leaders’ response to his imprisonment Paul writes, “The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,” (Philippians 1:17–18). I am sure that many would have given him a pass if he vented a little about those fellow leaders. But he was not distracted by the squirrel. He chose to rejoice that the message of Jesus was being proclaimed by those individuals, even though their motives were questionable.
I was also struck by his focus even after suffering so much as the Apostle to the Gentiles! In response to the challenges of living out our faith he writes, “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:10–11). What gives his words a punch, is realizing that he bore the physical scars from the persecution he suffered. What he understood is that as significant as his suffering was, it did not compare to what Jesus suffered for us! The metaphoric language basically says, God’s work in our lives is perfected in our tough times. If you read carefully, you will find numerous passages in Paul’s writing that refuse to be distracted by the squirrel of trials.
Rather, we find continual self-directed encouragement on what God is doing in our lives during these tough times. He writes, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17). The secret to not responding to the squirrels of our flesh and pride is… “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
The next time you are interrupted by the squirrels of conflict with another, a pain that keeps you from sleep, the anxiety of a broken heart or the anger of the actions of another, stop to ponder all that God is doing in your life. Let me leave this thought with you; when a dog takes off after the squirrel…the squirrel always wins. Think about it!
-Pastor Joe Parkinson