When God Redirects Your Focus

Sometimes the Thing You Didn’t Plan to Do is Exactly What You Needed

Credit: JM Troppello via Grok

This morning was not unfolding the way I had planned. I felt stressed, distracted, and a little out of sorts. I had a long to-do list waiting for me, and instead of feeling productive and focused, I felt scattered. The more I thought about everything I needed to accomplish, the harder it became to concentrate on any one thing.

When I find myself in those moments, I’ve learned that pushing harder isn’t always the answer. Sometimes the best thing I can do is pause and pray. So that’s what I did. I spent some time talking with God and asking Him to help me recenter my thoughts and redirect my focus.

What happened next was completely unexpected.

An Unexpected Project

Creating a new logo for my Stan Store was not on my schedule today. In fact, I hadn’t planned to work on branding at all. Yet after spending time in prayer, I felt drawn toward revisiting something I had been thinking about for a while.

I began working with Grok to create a logo using an avatar image generated by ChatGPT from one of my photos. I wanted a design that reflected my personality and business while maintaining a soft pastel office aesthetic that I have always enjoyed.

As the design process unfolded, I found myself asking a deeper question:

What three words truly describe my business?

At first, I wasn’t sure. My work includes freelance writing, digital marketing, faith-based encouragement, and now even selling previously loved clothing, jewelry, books, and household items through Vinted. Finding three words that captured all of that felt challenging.

So, I started digging deeper.

Discovering What Matters Most

As I reviewed my content and reflected on years of writing, several themes consistently emerged.

· Faith. Family. Freedom.

· Faith. Legacy. Freedom.

· Faith. Stewardship. Freedom.

· Faith. Purpose. Prosperity

Each combination resonated with me in some way. They reflected different parts of my journey and different aspects of what I teach and share online. Yet one phrase kept standing out more than the others:

Faith. Purpose. Prosperity.

Ironically, it wasn’t my first choice. But the more I prayed about it and reflected on it, the more it seemed to summarize exactly what I’m trying to build and encourage in others.

· Faith is the foundation of everything I do.

· Purpose is the reason I do it.

· Prosperity is the result I hope to achieve — not only financially, but spiritually, relationally, and generationally.

I want to help families create greater freedom, steward their resources wisely, and pursue the unique purpose God has placed on their lives.

What Happens When You Feel Uncentered?

One lesson I’ve learned over the years is that feeling spiritually off-balance can affect every other area of life.

There was a time when difficult days might have made me react emotionally toward others. Through God’s grace, He has done tremendous work in my heart, helping me become more patient, thoughtful, and intentional in my responses.

Today, my struggle looks different.

When I have a stressful morning, when sales aren’t coming in as expected, when I don’t accomplish everything on my to-do list, or when I feel like I’m falling short of my own expectations, I can become stagnant. I can become indecisive. Sometimes anxiety tries to creep in and convince me that things aren’t going to improve.

Instead of moving forward, I find myself standing still. That’s why I’ve learned that when I feel spiritually unsteady, I need to turn my attention back to God immediately.

· I need to pray.

· I need to worship.

· I need to remember His promises.

· I need to ask Him to help me regain perspective.

As Scripture reminds us:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

Sometimes we don’t need a new strategy. We need stillness. Sometimes we don’t need another productivity hack. We need God’s presence. And sometimes we don’t need all the answers. We simply need to remember who is in control.

Returning Your Mind to Truth

There are moments when we can’t open our Bible immediately. We may be at work, caring for family, running errands, or dealing with unexpected challenges. But even in those moments, we can pray.

We can ask God to bring His Word to our remembrance. We can meditate on Scriptures we already know. We can whisper a simple prayer:

1. “Lord, help me focus on You.”

2. “Lord, guide my next step.”

3. “Lord, give me wisdom.”

One verse that has encouraged me countless times is:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” — Philippians 4:13

That doesn’t mean every circumstance becomes easy. It means Christ provides the strength we need to walk through difficult moments faithfully. Today, what began as a stressful, distracting morning became an unexpected reminder that God is often at work in ways we don’t anticipate.

The logo project wasn’t on my to-do list. Yet through it, God helped me clarify my mission, refine my brand, and remember what truly matters most:

Faith. Purpose. Prosperity.

Perhaps that’s the lesson for all of us. When we feel uncentered, distracted, or overwhelmed, maybe the answer isn’t always to push harder. Maybe it’s time to pause.

· Pray.

· Listen.

· And allow God to redirect our focus.

What happens to you when you feel uncentered? How do you redirect your mind and heart back toward God and get your spirit back on track with Him?

Credit: JM Troppello via Grok