Keeping Christ at the center

I recently watched an inspirational story of a young hiker whose foot was crushed by a falling stone. When a rescuer came upon him, the hiker was in terrible pain. Immediately, the rescuer (a doctor out for his daily bike ride) checked for shock and bleeding, tied up a tourniquet, then reached into his backpack and handed the teen a picture of Christ.

The hurt boy had developed a simple faith in Christ from childhood, so he found the image very comforting. “It helped me just calm—not necessarily my body, but my mind—to know that first of all, I was going to get through this. Second, that there was someone who had already been through this for me, that he suffered as I suffered, and that he could relate, and would help me through it and understand what I was going through.” Eventually, the young man’s foot had to be amputated, but as he continued to focus on Christ, he found growth and comfort despite the challenges (YouTube: Crossing the Finish Line: A Story of Overcoming Obstacles).

In a world of pain and confusion, keeping Christ at the center of our lives becomes more and more essential. However, focusing in general is difficult in our whirl-away world. How can we always keep him uppermost in our minds? This last Sunday, I joined a group of women as we discussed how to always remember Christ, and I found their comments worth sharing.

Physical items:

We found many simple items that help us focus on the Savior. One woman used a ring with a religious phrase as a reminder. Every time she—or others—looked at her hands, the ring’s message turned her thoughts to Christ. One grandmother talked about the importance of artwork in the bedrooms of her children and grandchildren. “I recall hearing long ago that children will think about the pictures in their rooms as they go to sleep,” she noted. So she and her husband were careful to place pictures of Jesus, as well as one of their family in every bedroom, a practice she continues with her grandchildren.

I place reminders in key locations—above the kitchen sink, for example, that prompt me to center on Christ. Another woman makes a point, like the doctor in the story above, to keep a picture of the Savior in her wallet. Others make Him the focus in screensavers and home pages on their computers. These images help us reinforce that loving relationship and share our commitment to Christ with others.

Attitudes:

One friend, a newcomer to Alaska, said the breathtaking natural beauty around her reminds her of the love of God. “All things denote that there is a God,” reminds an ancient American prophet (Book of Mormon, Alma 30:44). My friend commented, “I hope it never gets ordinary to me.” Seeing the beauty in her surroundings helps her focus on Him. “Don’t miss the miracles,” she encouraged.

Another woman observed that as she trusted the Lord in her daily challenges, she felt herself focus on Him more. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” says the Proverb (3:5-6 RSV) “and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Straight to Him.

Communication:

The women agreed that music, a communicator to our souls, can help us draw closer, and stay closer to Christ. Hymns, songs of praise, children’s songs of faith, and beautiful music of all kinds can touch us deeply and help us commune with the Divine in a very personal way. Humming these songs through the day, even taking the time to refer to or memorize the words, can emphasize that loving relationship.

Savoring the words of eternal life—His words—can help us feel closer to our Lord. One friend noted that her efforts to draw others in her household to Christ kept her pondering and learning of Him as well.

And, of course, prayer was mentioned several times as we discussed our efforts to always remember Him. One woman tried to cultivate an attitude of prayer throughout her day, maintaining a running conversation as she faced her daily concerns, large and small. Someone else commented that her son encouraged her to “unpack her backpack” of emotional burdens nightly, and give them to her Savior. She commented tearfully about the sweetness of being able to give Him her difficulties.

As in discussions of this kind, there were more ideas than time to discuss them. But we did conclude that as we take advantage of opportunities to make the Savior the center of our lives, we can feel peace and joy. Instead of feeling like we are ever running and getting nowhere, placing Jesus at the heart of our lives fosters an eternal perspective and provides a welcome respite, so needed now.

Kristin Fry is enjoying this astonishing summer with her husband, children and grandchildren, flowers and garden vegetables, bees, chickens, and her cow. She is learning how to keep Christ at the center of her life, and is gratefully a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.