“His followers discussed the meaning of this, saying, ‘He said this because we have no bread.’ Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, ‘Why are you talking about not having bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your minds closed?” Mark 8:16-17 (NCV)
When you focus on the wrong things, you miss what God is doing in your life.
When your attention is only on the here and now, you miss God’s long-term plan. When you concentrate on happiness, you forget holiness. When you just want to enjoy the moment, you may not prepare for eternity.
And when your thinking is short-term, you miss seeing the spiritual work God is doing all around you. This is what happened to the disciples in Mark 8. Jesus warned them, ‘Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod’” (Mark 8:13-15 NCV).
Using yeast as a metaphor, Jesus was trying to teach his disciples a lesson about pride. But they didn’t understand the deeper meaning, they thought he was talking about lunch!
While Jesus was talking about the need for maturity, his disciples were talking about their next meal. That’s short-term thinking. Whenever you’re thinking short-term, you can’t see the larger picture of what God is doing in your life.
So, ask God to give you a glimpse into eternity and to help you experience the hope that comes from seeing His long-term plan IJN.
Shalom!
Lord help me to never loose sight of your long term plan for my life in Jesus name.