In the world of tennis, a game which I greatly enjoy, there is a basic rule that carries me through the emotional ups and downs of a match. More than once I have snatched victory from the hands of defeat by remembering this simple principle. It is the one thing I must do to win: keep my eye on the ball!

I am not fighting my opponent, the sun, the wind, the crowd, or myself. My opponent can distract me with movement, a verbal outburst, or delays, but he cannot change the ball.

In life you can experience changes in the economy, the people around you, the environment, and other circumstances. But one thing should not change: keep your eye on where you are going!

Talk about where you are going. Think about where you are going. Be passionate about where you are going. Believe in where you are going.

What about the temporary score? What if you are behind? That doesn’t change where you are going, so why think about it? Don’t let your mind go into the gutter of worry, fear, or anxiety about what might happen. In tennis, if you take your eye off the ball, you lose sight of the only thing you can control. If you allow yourself to be distracted, defeat is guaranteed.

Today, make a quality decision to keep your eyes on what you want. Celebrate it. Pray about it. Think on it only. Jesus said that whatever you desire, when you pray, believe you receive it and you shall have it!