By: Jackie Warner
Over the years, my vision has changed, and recently, I needed a new eyeglass prescription. Using my laptop or reading messages on my phone has become increasingly difficult, so getting new eyewear has truly helped me to refocus and see more clearly.
But let’s take a moment to lean into the word “focus.” In life, our struggles with clarity aren’t always about a literal change in eyesight. More often, they have to do with where we choose to focus. Whatever the view—our relationships, our careers, our homes—the picture itself remains the same. What changes is what we choose to see within it.
I have spent years looking at my “life picture,” filled with family, children, my spouse, my job, and my hobbies. The most important question isn’t whether or not the picture has changed but what part of it I have chosen to focus on. Two people can look at the same image, but their perspectives will differ depending on experience, mindset, and circumstances.
As life changes, so does our focus. For years, my attention was locked on raising my children. They were my center—my priority. But as they grew into adulthood and stepped into their own independence, I found myself looking around, suddenly noticing aspects of my life that had always been there but had simply been out of focus; nothing changed—not my spouse, not my home. It was me who changed. My vision had been locked on my children, and now that they were no longer the focal point, other areas of my life became clearer.
Many times, we think something has shifted or disappeared, when in reality, it has always been there. We just weren’t focusing on it.
Clarity isn’t always about altering the picture; it’s about adjusting how we see it. When life doesn’t look the way you thought, lean on God’s wisdom rather than your own perception.
· Isaiah 43:19 – See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
· Sometimes, what feels like a loss is actually an opportunity for something new. God is still working even when we don’t yet understand it.
· Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
· Even when things don’t look like what we expected, God is still at work for our good.
1. Seek God for Clarity and Wisdom
· Pray for understanding. Ask God to reveal His purpose in what you’re seeing now. You might not have all the answers immediately, but He promises to guide you (James 1:5).
2. Find Gratitude in the Reality
· Even if things aren’t what you thought, there is still something to appreciate. Gratitude helps shift your focus from what’s missing to what’s present.
3. Move Forward with a Renewed Focus
· God has given you a new lens. Instead of dwelling on what was unclear before, embrace the new perspective and look for ways to grow, love, and trust Him in it.
Discovering that something isn’t what you expected can be unsettling, but it’s also an opportunity for growth, wisdom, and spiritual renewal. The key is to adjust, not resist—because what you see now is likely what God wants you to focus on.
By: Jackie Warner
Career Development Facilitator
“Impact, Engage, Grow” Community Matters
June 20, 2025
