Have you ever felt like your life was unfocused and you were spinning your wheels? You’re not alone. Many people claim to live unfulfilled lives. When purpose is spoken of, they have no idea, and sometimes no drive, to understand what their’s is in life.

Recorded in 2 Kings 6:5-7 is a story about a man that lost his cutting edge…literally…let me enlighten you…

The sons of the prophets needed to expand their facility as they had outgrown the old one, so they designed a plan to build a more suitable place for them to dwell. While cutting down some trees near the Jordan River, one of them swings his axe too hard and the axe head falls off into the river. He becomes very concerned because the axe is borrowed, and he doesn’t want to return it without the axe head attached, so he calls on the Elisha the prophet for help. What Elisha does is where I find the answer to you reclaiming your lost cutting edge.

1) Where did you lose it?

When you lose your keys, you start by going back to where you last remember that you had them. You check your purse or pockets, dresser, car, etc. And there are some places that you don’t look. For example, if you didn’t go to Wal-Mart before losing them, you’re not going to call the service desk and ask them if they found a set of keys.
The point is this – you focus your search and the likely places where you lost your keys and begin searching until you find them.

It’s the same with your cutting edge. If feel unfocused or dull, start by going to where you lost it. When was the last time you prayed through? When was the last time you read His Word with the more excitement than you get over watching your favorite sitcom? Where did you lose your cutting edge? Wherever you lost it, go back to that place and begin looking there. It’s most likely right where you lost it, waiting for you to reclaim it.

The church of Ephesus started off right. They lived by faith, were known by love, and were a voice of hope. They fought against false doctrine of every extreme, and grew in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, somewhere along the way, while doing a great work for the Lord, the Ephesians forgot the Great Lord of the work. When Jesus spoke to John to write unto the church of Ephesus, He brought against them this indictment – “You have left your first love.”

If you’ve lost your cutting edge, go back to where you lost it and reclaim it.

2) Believe in the miraculous!

After determining where the man lost the axe head, Elisha then cut off a stick and threw it into the water. Miraculously, the axe head floated back up to the top.

After you’ve figured out where you lost your cutting edge, believe in the power of the miraculous to bring it “back up” to the surface. Jesus said if we ask in faith believing, we shall receive. James wrote that if we lack wisdom, we can ask and that God gives liberally to all who ask without wavering between belief and unbelief.

Learn from Abraham on asking and expecting. Paul wrote in Romans that Abraham did not stagger at the promise of God, but was fully persuaded that what God had promised him, God would perform! Are you fully persuaded in the promise Performer? (Notice the capital “P” in Performer?)

3) You have to pick it up!

I like Elisha. He helps the man as far as he can, but no more than that. Once the axe head swims, Elisha instructs the man to reach in and pick it back up. The point is this – only you can reclaim your cutting edge. Your pastor cannot do it for you. Your parent cannot do it for you. Your best friend cannot do it for you. You have to pick it up.

The Bible instructs us, “Study to show YOURSELF approved.” While the man of God was able to help to a point, He didn’t do all the work. It’s no different today. In fact, the mainstream view of the pastor being the chief-cook-bottle washer-financial planner-counselor-friend-etc. is not Biblical. Nor is it healthy…to the pastor or to the saint!

If everything is done for you, how will you ever learn? It’s the old adage – give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach the man to fish and you feed him for life.

Maybe this is why Paul instructed Timothy to stir up the gift that is within you. I think Paul knew that there would be times when Timothy was going to find himself at a place where his ministry felt dull, and it would be those times when calling on Paul wouldn’t help. Timothy would have to learn how to encourage himself in the Lord.

Closing thoughts:

The following is from chapter eight of my book, “Why Me?”

“You will either be purpose-minded or problem-minded. Problem-minded people know that somewhere “out there” in the distance is a purpose to their life, but it’s in their peripheral vision at best. This type of person moves from one problem to the next, never solving any of them. Often, they run from their problems thinking that a change of scenery will fix their problem, but because they haven’t dealt with the root cause of the problem, they wind up going in the same circles all over again.

Purpose-minded people, on the other hand, keep their purpose in the focus of their vision, and let the problems remain in the peripheral. They deal with a problem when it arises, but they deal with it based on their purpose, still keeping it the focal point and not the problem. Sometimes purpose-minded people are believed to be aloof to problems, and while some may be, the reality is that purpose-minded people handle things based on their purpose instead of reacting to problems. In essence, purpose-minded people are proactive in their approach to their life’s purpose and the problems they face.”

Become proactive. Be purpose-minded. Reclaim your cutting edge. It’s right where you lost it, waiting for you to recover it. God believes in you. The world needs you. Your enemy is betting you’ll remain unfocused. So, prove God right. Reclaim your cutting edge…today!