Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Have you heard of the game “2048” yet? For the life of me, I can’t remember whose Instagram page I was on when I came across this new game, but whoever they are…they’re on my list! Oh it’s so addicting! Imagine Sudoku meets Tetris. The object of the game is to combine tiles of the same number (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64…) until you reach the magical 2048 title. Don’t ask me what’s so magical about this tile, as I have yet to reach it, but give me time, I’ll get there!
I find myself playing this game more often and for longer than I’d like to admit. Each time I lose, I always tell myself, ”You know, I bet if you slowed down and really paid attention you’d do much better.” Each time a new round starts, I say the same thing, “Okay, this time I’m gonna pay attention, slow down and win big!” — and then I lose again.
See, I get so distracted when I see two tiles that match and rush to combine them that I neglect the rest of the board. I don’t know if I just get “finger happy” and caught up in swiping left, right, up and down but the moment I see two matching tiles, I’m focused on those two tiles and only those two tiles. It’s almost as though the minute those two tiles combine and the board begins to shift that I see a better move that I could have made.
Slow down.
Pay attention.
Win big.
Relationships are a lot like that. We see something in someone else that seems to match with something in us, and we go for it. We miss the big picture. Our tunnel vision narrows our scope so much that it becomes our sole focus. We get caught up in his or her looks that we neglect his or her heart. We focus on their biblical Instagram or Twitter posts, and we neglect the fact that they live one way online and another way offline. We focus on what they say and not what they do. And each time a relationship fails, we tell ourselves the same thing” “Next time, I’ll slow down, pay attention and get it right.” Yet and still we find ourselves in the same cycle.
I try not to write about marriage and relationships a lot. While these are important pieces of our lives, they should not at all consume us. For too many Christians, marriage has become the end goal…not sanctification. It burdens me to see so many single Christians who have fallen victim to the idea that marriage is the great reward. Yes, marriage (so I hear) is amazing. It is a good thing; a GOD thing…but there is so much more to gain in your lifetime than being married.
Christ.
Christ is our big picture. He alone is our end goal. He is our prize, our joy…He is it. Yes, be excited about marriage and parenthood, but be more excited about Christ. Pray for you future spouse and children but pray for God to be glorified in and through you as well. Take your eyes off the altar and fix them on Christ. When you focus on Him and Him alone, everything else will fall into place.
Slow down…stop rushing your seasons.
Pay attention…focus on Christ.
Win big…serve your purpose, bringing glory to His name.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Danielle Erwin hosts the Charlotte-based ministry, UNPLUGGED. She’s the founder of Pursued, a ministry aimed to encourage women to live lives that are truly reflective of Jesus Christ. Visit her web site at DanielleErwin.com.
