we started this week with a goal in mind. to get rid of distractions for a few days. to put down everything that keeps us so connected to a world full of distractions and to focus on that which is eternal. we found ourselves ashamed of what we have allowed into our home, our minds and what we have allowed to fill our time. we were embarrassed. how much of our time was spent doing those “little” things that had no spiritual or eternal significance? those things that were for the here and now. and for what?
only to wake up another day and do it all over again. another day filled with meaningless distractions. all pointing away from Him.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 peter 5:8
how quickly we forget that verse and how lightly we sometimes take it. the enemy is waiting for us to get distracted! to lose sight of our goal, of our focus so he can creep in and devour.
once again. we are blown away by His mercy. instead of striking us for not serving Him wholeheartedly and for offering meaningless offerings, He shows us grace. forgiveness. gives us another day to try again. He instils in us a desire for more of Him.
not with writing on the wall or with loud thunder but with a simple nudge. a whisper. another chance.
and here we are today. broken. unworthy but loved and saved by His grace.
i spoke to a cousin of mine who is doing work overseas and as he went on sharing what God is teaching him and doing in his life everything in me longed for his world. the one where the cars, jobs, promotions, apartments, judgement from others did not matter. i felt like the mouse in the wheel going in circles with no end. i craved a distraction free life.
The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with Him, the more the Spirit will make you like Him. The more you are like Him, the better you will understand His utter sufficiency for all of life’s difficulties. And that is the only way to know real satisfaction. John MacArthur
here lies the answer… oh that we would commune with Him. that we would understand He is sufficient.
know that i prayed for you today. i prayed that He would show you His glory and that it would be sufficient.
Ah, how this describes my day-to-day battles. It’s hard because the things themselves aren’t wrong, but they’re harmful when we allow them to take up time that we could be investing in others or our own walk with the Lord. And the fact that we allow them to be distractions point to a deeper problem sometimes- that we aren’t allowing HIM to be our sufficient, all-in-all. Beautiful post, thank you for the encouragement.
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Kelsea,
that’s my point exactly. it’s the things that are permissible but not beneficial (1 corinth 10:23) that keep us distracted. the tv watching, the mindless internet time, the times spent doing those things that when pilled up push us further from Him. thank you for your comment and for encouraging me to continue to share.