In Psalm 25:5, David makes a statement that is challenging. He prays,

“Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

I’m fine until the “all day long” part.

Personally, I struggle to maintain a focus on the Lord all day long. I’m usually pretty dialed-in in the morning but come along about 1 or 2 in the afternoon, I start to fade. By that time of the day, the Lord and I are not as close as we were just hours earlier.

Of course, He doesn’t lose track of me, but I tend to lose track of Him.

I suspect I’m not alone in this.

Is there anything to help us keep focus as the day grows long? Anything to help us remain spiritually empowered beyond 12 noon?

Here are a few ideas:

1. If you have morning devotional time (I hope so), try to grab at least one word or thought to take with you throughout the day, something easy to remember and to repeat while you’re on the run (For example, the words “grace,” “trust,” or “share“).
2. Take a quick moment at lunchtime to check in and pray. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer…just ask God to help you with the day and give Him thanks while you’re at it. For a great example, see Daniel 6:10.
3. Circle back in the evening – maybe before a meal or before bedtime – and give a few moments just to be with God. Try to remember that word or thought from the morning before you call it a day.

By mid-afternoon, when the caffeine has worn off and the grind is on, it’s easy to lose focus. But David reminds us that the hope we have in Jesus remains just as strong at 5 pm as it was at 8 am.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.