Spinning Ballerina

I couldn't help but smile when I read my devotional this morning.

"Make Me your focal point as you move through this day.  Just as a SPINNING BALLERINA must keep returning her eyes to a given point to maintain her balance, so you must keep returning your focus to Me.  Circumstances are in flux, and the world seems to be whirling around you.  The only way to keep your balance is to fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes.  If you gaze too long at your circumstances, you will become dizzy and confused.  Look to Me, refreshing yourself in My Presence, and your steps will be steady and sure."  (From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young)

I love this day's devotion for several reasons.
*The ballerina reference.  And my blog's name.  Need I say more?
*My love of dance and the fact that I teach dance lessons makes this particular topic hit home for me.
*The author's use of the analogy of a ballerina and how she must fix her eyes on a given point.  This is so true.

"Focusing on a given point" is a must while dancing.  Being a dance instructor and ballerina myself, I frequently tell my students to "spot" when they are learning to do turns and pirouettes.  If they don't "spot" (aka find a place on the wall to look at and not take their eyes off of while turning or spinning), they will very likely become dizzy and they will very likely fall.  Without spotting or focusing on a given point, a ballerina cannot master these skills.  She may be able to do them...but she will never do them really well.

As a ballerina when you "gaze too long at your circumstances" (aka try to watch everything around you while attempting to turn or pirouette, instead of spotting), you truly do become "dizzy and confused."  And just like ballerinas, we can become "dizzy and confused" when we're more focused on the stuff of life and the things outside of our control, too, than when our focus remains on the Lord and His purposes for our lives.  Without fixing our eyes on Jesus, or spotting, we're unable to become more Christ-like.  Unable to have our priorities and focus centered on Him.

If life feels like it's spinning out of control, take a moment.  A quiet moment to take a deep breath. pray, and remind yourself of at least a few things you can be thankful for...today.  And may your "focus" shift back towards Christ and His plans for you right now.