Look Up | Run Journey Podcast

All right, week one, look up. Chuck here with Kirsten and Justin. And this week, we're talking about the fact that wherever our lives are directed, it affects everything else. And so we want to talk about perspective this week. Opening question here is, what do you think most people are focused on? This has been huge in my life right now, because everyone I can think of has their focus in social media, phone. Your physical posture is just down, looking down at what's happening on your feed, who's doing what, what influencers are doing what, whatever. And I think that's where a lot of people's focus are. You know what? Do you know, this is actually a true fact. One of our kids is wearing a special contact lens to deal with myopia, because there's a growing epidemic of myopia. Myopia is literally being narrow because of the time they spend on small screens, not looking out. Remember when we used to have road trips and we didn't have anything to do but look outside? Turns out you need that. You and I remember that. She doesn't remember that. But you and I remember that. I click on trees, guys. But literally, we physically need that. And so I think you're so right. We're so focused on these small screens and it's shaping us. And it could be email. It doesn't have to be social media. That's where my focus is. But yeah, email, text, whatever it is, it's just taking you out of the world. Let me rephrase it for you this way. Where do you think people's spiritual eyes are focused and why? I think it's the same answer that I would have had to even question one. And what you hit is a part of it. I think our eyes are on others. It's what others think of me. It's what others are doing. What's their purpose like? I mean, we talked about it last time, but comparison is there. But it's just focused on other people's thing. And maybe even like you hit with your email and things. It's either right here, what's right in front of me. And then everything out there and every other person. And there's very little look for the in-between stuff. You know what I mean?

I think that's good, man. I'll just talk about me. I know that I can be so self-centered. I can be so self-focused more than I think. And it shows up for me sometimes in difficulty. Like when I'm under pressure, the first thing I think is I've done something wrong. Now sometimes I have. But sometimes it's not about the fact that I did something wrong, but it's about the fact that God doesn't promise me a life without pressure or without difficulty. How do you think that plays out for us? Like how does kind of what we can see and what we can't see shape our view of pressure when we experience it? All right. I have, I got four kids and when my friends spend time with other people and then those other people tell me, man, I love your kids are so kind. They were so gentle to each other. They just honored each other as siblings. And I'm like, what? They were ripping each other's heads off last night. I forget that my perspective is so limited, especially when I'm in the thing, I'm in the mess of bedtime the night before with those four wild kids, you know? And then somebody gives you a perspective that's from the outside and larger. And I think that same thing, man, spiritually, when I forget and don't zoom out and go, wait, wait, what's happening here long-term? What's happening here in the broader perspective? It's not just me looking at me, but it's me looking genuinely at other people to serve them. When I can zoom out and get a different perspective. And that's what God offers us with his wisdom and his insight and ability to be connected to the one who has all insight and wisdom and power. And he continually says, if you lack wisdom, just ask for it. You know, coming to him and saying, okay, help me see this with different eyes. I don't know if this answers your question directly, but with, with me, I'm like, I know I need to show the fruits of the spirit, right? Peaceful, joyful, kind, self-control, all the things. And under pressure, I lose that. I'm, I'm short tempered. I'm not kind. I just forget that that's where I need to lead from. And then pressure, somehow there's something about pressure that sucks that away from you and is like, got to get it done, get it done. Right. Like, make sure you're not going to mess up very similar to you of like, wait, what did I do wrong? And it's just so funny that that's how I kind of experienced pressure is I know my, the fruits of the spirit and in those ways and pressure, it's the quickest thing to just send it on its way. And so, um, yeah, yeah.

Looking up is a spiritual discipline. It is. It is spiritual. Just set your mind on things above. Yeah. Right. Yeah. It takes discipline. We need it. We need to do that. Um, and this is a week where in your group you get to do some of that, you know, I don't know. Have you guys, have you cracked open this game yet or this, this game that the groups are doing? I have not yet. I have not yet. I can't wait. I know. I can't wait. I can't wait. Like a legit board game that you get to do. And you know, and I think about what you said, like part of it is when I'm in community, it's an opportunity for me to look up and get perspective from the people around me. So this week you get to do that in your small groups through this game, to look up and to understand what God is doing in your race. We all have pressure. Yeah, we do. We all have tension. Um, but I think this week, hopefully you're going to begin to get a gauge and a guide that'll help you navigate the pressures in your life. Hopefully from a different and more powerful perspective. We're excited about that for you.