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In this chapter from Recovering Redemption, Matt Chandler shares how we live the Christian life knowing what He explained in earlier chapters of the book.  See previous posts on this blog.  And for believers, this means (1) renouncing what is old, (2) rerooting in what is new, and (3) perpetually asking God for help to keep this transformation happening. God's the one who knows you'll never be whole if the only solution He ever implements in your life is just pruning back the bad behavior. Renounce the roots, but not the Gardener. . .The problem is where we're seeking to plant them, where we're rooting them. But if we root these same desires in the kingdom of heaven--in the truths and promises of God--they will instead produce the fruit of the Spirit within us.       

It is interesting that when troubles come in our lives, we tend to focus on them.  If your bank account is at zero (and ours has been many times over the years), we can become obsessed with lack of money and stress over it.  Or you can fill in your problem.  However, God has challenged us to look to Him rather than focus on our problems, worries, or stresses.  I hope this quote from Dutch Sheets will encourage you today: "Unfortunately, rather than spending our energy on abiding, we get sidetracked by the dilemma we're facing. A molehill easily becomes a mountain when stared at for too long. So it is with your soul's crisis. Staring at the problem, obsessing over it, yelling at or pleading with it . . .no amount of focus on the problem removes it. Don't major in the problem; focus on the solution." So, today choose to focus on Jesus rather than the problem.