When referring to Christians who are not pursuing growth, James 1:8 says, “Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” Your faith will not grow if you are focused on God and the world. Your loyalty will be divided and your relationship with God will suffer the cost. James goes on to say in 4:4, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” Just as marriage does not work if one spouse’s attention is divided, so is a relationship with God. If you are focused on the world, you will not be able to see the work that God is doing. James 1:8 is correct. You will be unstable in your life and decisions.
So how can you keep your eyes on the Lord alone? First, you must not entertain a friendship with the world. Jesus says in John 15:19 that the world will love you if you belong to it, but you are no longer part of it because Jesus chose you to be His; therefore, the world will hate you. When you accepted His gift of salvation, you became His. You chose Him over the world. Remind yourself of that choice every single day! When you are going throughout your day, take time to stop and pray so that God will protect you from entertaining worldly thoughts.
Choose Him all day and every day! Surround yourself with people who choose Him as well and lift each other up. Life is so much better with Him.