Spiritual Focus—The Heart of My Transformation
Twenty-five years ago, my life was radically transformed. It wasn’t through a personal achievement, a new job, or some external success. It was through a heart transplant—a literal heart transplant. But this surgery did more than just replace a failing organ. It ushered me into a new life, one I had never expected, and it all began with a moment of spiritual awakening that I will never forget.
At the time, my heart was as hard as stone—both physically and spiritually. I lived in a world where I wanted to believe that God was real, but I couldn’t quite trust it. My faith had been shattered by life’s hardships and disappointments. I needed proof. I wanted proof. So I gave God an ultimatum. I said, “God, if you’re real, you need to show me within seven days. If not, I’ll live my life however I want.” It was as if I had put God to the test, demanding Him to reveal Himself to me on my terms.
Day 1, 2, 3, and 4 passed by, and nothing remarkable happened. I was on the verge of walking away from my faith entirely, but then, something changed. I remembered I had a Bible on my shelf, collecting dust. It wasn’t a priority for me then, but something in my spirit told me, “Maybe, just maybe, you should give it one more chance.” And in that moment, my heart softened just a little.
I opened the Bible, not expecting much. But the very first thing I read stopped me in my tracks. It was the story of Jesus’ death on the cross. As I read about His sacrifice, a voice within me whispered, “Justin, I died for you.” At that moment, I realized something profound—I wasn’t just reading words on a page. It was personal. Jesus had suffered, bled, and died for me, and I felt the weight of that truth settle into my soul.
This was the moment that changed everything. My heart, once stone-hard and resistant, began to soften. I began to understand that God had a purpose for my life—that I was not created by accident but for a reason. This realization broke through my pride, my skepticism, and the layers of resistance I had built up over the years. And at that moment, I experienced what I can only describe as a spiritual transplant—my heart of stone was replaced with a heart of flesh, open and willing to embrace the love and purpose God had for me.
It was then that I understood the truth about sin. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” We are all born into sin, and we see its consequences every day—broken relationships, lies, betrayal, death. But God, in His great love, sent Jesus to take on the punishment for our sins. And if we accept that gift, we receive eternal life. It’s a free gift, one that we can’t earn but simply receive by faith.
Before that moment, I was heading down the path of spiritual death, unaware of the consequences of my choices. But through Jesus, I was given the chance to start anew. Just as a physical heart transplant brings life to a failing body, my spiritual heart transplant gave me a new purpose: to know God personally and to live a life that reflected His love and grace.
I want to share this with you because the key to spiritual focus—the focus that guides my life today—began with that moment of spiritual awakening. Without Jesus in my life, nothing would make sense. All the steps of focus that you might read about in books or websites would be empty and meaningless. True focus, the kind that shapes and defines your life, has to be anchored in something greater than ourselves. And that anchor for me is Jesus Christ.
Spiritual focus doesn’t just mean setting goals or prioritizing tasks. It’s about seeing life through the lens of eternity. It’s about aligning every part of who you are with God’s purpose for you. It’s about waking up every day with the understanding that your life is a gift, that you are loved beyond measure, and that your ultimate calling is to serve God with everything you have.
That’s the power of spiritual focus. It gives your life direction and meaning that nothing else can provide. And once you experience the love of Jesus, everything else falls into place. You see, I don’t focus on my goals, my achievements, or even my struggles in isolation anymore. I focus on them through the lens of God’s calling on my life, knowing that everything I do is for His glory.
Today, I live with a purpose I never knew was possible. The transplant I had years ago gave me a new heart, but the spiritual transplant that followed gave me a new life. And that’s the life I want to share with you.
If you find yourself questioning where you are in life, if you feel spiritually distant or lost, I encourage you to take the same step I took. Call out to God and ask Him to show you His truth. I promise He will answer. It may not come in the way you expect, but He will show Himself to you in a personal, powerful way.
If your heart is hard like mine once was, I encourage you to open it. Let Jesus into your life. He’s knocking at the door of your heart, waiting for you to let Him in. If you’re ready, just pray this simple prayer with me:
“Jesus, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Set me free from my sins and forgive me today. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Be with me forever. Thank you, Jesus.”
If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God. A new life awaits you, one that is filled with purpose, love, and the incredible peace that comes from knowing your Creator personally.
The focus you need in life isn’t about your to-do list or your ambitions—it’s about serving God with all your heart, mind, and soul. When you set your heart on Him, your life will never be the same. May God bless you on this new journey.
This is my story, a story of spiritual focus that began with a heart transplant but ultimately led to a deeper, more powerful transformation—one that still shapes my life today. Without Jesus, none of this would make sense. But with Him, everything has a purpose.