Yoga and Other Crazy Stuff

The other day I was on my way home from work and right before I arrived at my house, I passed by a park which is located near our neighborhood. To my surprise, I saw this lady standing in the parking area doing yoga. I had to do a double take because she was standing on one foot with both hands in the air and her other leg was bent so her foot was rested against the side of her leg. Of course, I like to honk my horn at literally anything (and then wave the other way) but I could not convince my hand that this was the right thing to do…although it would have been funny to watch her lose concentration and possibly even fall! That would have made my day! I have a warped sense of humor and it really doesn’t take that much to entertain me. Even though I only saw her for a few seconds, I could tell that this woman was totally focused. There were people walking by her, cars driving past (with people tempted to beep their horn), and lots of other potential distractions but she had single vision. I’ve never done yoga so I’m not sure what that vision was, but it captured her mind. Most of us have one or two particular things which capture much of our time. For me, it happens to be family and church ministry but for others it may be education, an occupation, a hobby, motherhood/fatherhood, a pursuit of a relationship, or a number of other things. Oftentimes these areas of importance have obstacles. By obstacles I mean people or circumstances which cause us to lose focus on that which is important. Most people react to adversity by changing jobs, finding a new relationship, abandoning a dream, or just simply giving up. However, don’t always view obstacles as negative. James was writing to discouraged and frustrated believers who were tempted to give up on their faith because of persecution, but James advised them to remain focused. He writes, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). Ignoring the doubts of others and refusing to quit will eventually give way to maturity. Instead of giving up on a friendship, waking up from your dream, or giving in to pressure, stay focused on that which is important.