Too Many Distractions??
I have to say that I'm constantly a victim of this. No one is really exempt or is a stranger to distractions. They can seem so harmless. If we can't a grip on them, however, they can easily sweep us away into a round of idleness where we become unproductive and just plain useless. They appear so "cute and cuddly", you don't want to go about your business, and so you stay playing with your distraction while, Time, Opportunities and LIFE pass you by. This can happen to anyone.
Trouble is, for everyone, it can very well mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death.
Even as I am writing this blog, distractions are pulling at me, mostly in the form of stray thoughts. Should I do my laundry today? I wonder if so and so responded to my Facebook post yet? (By the way I've found it necessary to delete my FB account just to remain sane.) What should I do for my fitness routine today? What should I have for breakfast? And on and on they go. I have to say that I usually blog in the early hours of the morning but I got a real late start today. Hence the distractions. When I should have already done this post, here I am at a point when I would have already gotten full swing into my day. So naturally, my thoughts are turning to the events of the day. If I'd never understood why it's essential to get up early and have that alone time with God, this makes it very clear.
Let me just talk to my church sisters for a minute.
I mean come on now ladies. That social network, chat-room, TV show, or whatever it is,, is not worth the time or effort, and they're certainly not worth eternal life! I'm talking to my self now too.
We get sucked up into these shows that largely exhibit behaviors and beliefs we would NEVER accept or entertain in real life. Yet we sit for hours at a time actually enjoying them. Really? Reeally?
I'm not trying to beat on a sister. I'm just saying. Let me give you my own experience. Facebook (I've chosen this one because it's the most popular at this point but there are many more social networks out there). This was my "demon", as it were. At first it wasn't a problem at all. I would visit Facebook maybe a couple times a week and not for very long periods of time. I'm sure many of you, as have I, have found it can easily become addictive. I found myself checking into Facebook every spare moment I had. Pretty soon, it became every spare moment I didn't have.
And what's worse even when I was at church I was checking in on Facebook.
It got so terrible that some days I would rush a quick prayer and neglect bible study. The first thing I took up was my cell phone when I woke up in the morning. I'm telling you. Facebook statuses became my go to for "a word from God". They made me feel justified in visiting FB every five seconds. I would say, see, there's some good things on Facebook too. How pathetic was that? Instead of getting it straight form my Heavenly Father, I was satisfied in getting it second hand. There's nothing like hearing directly from God. He knows us so intricately, that each message is tailored specifically for our time, our circumstance and our personality.
And yes, God can find you wherever you are and send messages through others for you too. Even on social networks. Oh you better believe He found me on FB even though I was running away from spending that time with Him. I'm telling you, it still wasn't the same. I felt as if something was missing. Those posts could only go so far and as soon as I got offline I forgot about them anyway. I needed that special one on one time where I could hear God's voice directly and just bask in the knowledge that He came down to earth to spend time with little old me. Nothing beats that experience. It fills you for the rest of the day and gives you peace to deal with life's everyday twists and turns.
When distractions replace a vital part of our relationship with God we're in big trouble.
What some of us don't realize, is that they can be like parasites if we allow them to become a permanent part of our lives and are also addictive by nature. Yep. That's what they do. They suck your vital life forces. Although they can come in different forms they all require lots of mental and sometimes physical energy. They creep up on you and at first pose no threat. But like weeds they can spread quickly and go unnoticed until they get to gigantic proportions. They drain your life and cripple you for real usefulness the way God intends. Soon we can find ourselves tangled up in a web that seems almost impossible to break, not knowing how we got there or how to get out. Some of us can even look like we're very busy all the while, while still being distracted. Ohh yes. Seems like these distractions can be more addictive than drugs themselves.
All distractions aren't necessarily bad, though. What I mean is, it may be an important issue that pertains to life. However, they are usually the types of issues that could wait. They are the types of distractions that are "good" in themselves but at the wrong time they are just as bad as other sinful distractions. What makes these distractions effective, is the fact that they come at a time when you know you ought to be engaged in something more important. Uh Huh.The enemy can make you feel that you're not a good wife, mother, sister, friend or the like because you may have to say no to someone in order to get the more important tasks done.
Sis. You will recognize distractions for what they are regardless of the way they're disguised. You hear that still, small, voice prompting you and telling you what you ought to be doing right now.
You know what I mean. You know you don't need to be talking to that fool of a boy right now, or ever. You know you don't need to be looking at this show while you have more important things to do. You know if you pick up that phone and answer that girlfriend who's calling bout her "boyfren" for the umpteenth time, she will have enough info to start her own show. I'm just saying you usually know the ways the enemy is distracting you. If it's not helping you accomplish anything whether for now or for the future, it's a distraction.
Well how am I suppose to keep myself from being distracted? I'm so glad you asked. Here it goes.
Get into God's word. And STAY there!
I can't say it any other way. I can't say it enough. We are told in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that "... we all, with open face beholding...the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory...". We become more like Christ by beholding Him. We behold Him by spending time with Him in His word. When you come to God with a humble and teachable spirit He opens up His word to you. It has all the directions you will need to live this life pleasing to Him, including how to stay focused and handle distractions. He encourages us in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. He's not harmless in any way, shape or form. His plan is to devour you; kill you in the most heinous of ways , if he could.
God knows that distractions will come. They are another form of temptation and He sometimes uses them to help build our character. Many times though, we put ourselves in places we know we should never have gone, watch things we should never be watching, reading or listening to. Yes we place ourselves in tempting situations where God never sent us. He still will help us if we realize our mistakes and turn back to Him.
I pray today for you my sisters that you will, through spending time with your Heavenly Father, find strength to counteract your distractions. Fill your minds as much as possible with the things of Christ. He admonishes us again in Philippians 4:8 to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtuous. When God takes over completely, our words will be true, our heart will be honest, our actions will be just, our minds will be pure, our character will be lovely, our lives will be worthy of having a good report and our motives will be virtuous.
This may not be you right now but you can take that first step today towards placing God in His rightful position in your heart. This journey is meant to be taken one step at a time. If you endure, you will see the results. It is possible because with God all things are possible. God has given us all the tools that we need. It's way past time that we begin to use them. Blessings!
PRAYING FOR YOU!!
A Woman's Place! Blessings on You!
Trouble is, for everyone, it can very well mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death.
Even as I am writing this blog, distractions are pulling at me, mostly in the form of stray thoughts. Should I do my laundry today? I wonder if so and so responded to my Facebook post yet? (By the way I've found it necessary to delete my FB account just to remain sane.) What should I do for my fitness routine today? What should I have for breakfast? And on and on they go. I have to say that I usually blog in the early hours of the morning but I got a real late start today. Hence the distractions. When I should have already done this post, here I am at a point when I would have already gotten full swing into my day. So naturally, my thoughts are turning to the events of the day. If I'd never understood why it's essential to get up early and have that alone time with God, this makes it very clear.
I mean come on now ladies. That social network, chat-room, TV show, or whatever it is,, is not worth the time or effort, and they're certainly not worth eternal life! I'm talking to my self now too.
We get sucked up into these shows that largely exhibit behaviors and beliefs we would NEVER accept or entertain in real life. Yet we sit for hours at a time actually enjoying them. Really? Reeally?
I'm not trying to beat on a sister. I'm just saying. Let me give you my own experience. Facebook (I've chosen this one because it's the most popular at this point but there are many more social networks out there). This was my "demon", as it were. At first it wasn't a problem at all. I would visit Facebook maybe a couple times a week and not for very long periods of time. I'm sure many of you, as have I, have found it can easily become addictive. I found myself checking into Facebook every spare moment I had. Pretty soon, it became every spare moment I didn't have.
And what's worse even when I was at church I was checking in on Facebook.
It got so terrible that some days I would rush a quick prayer and neglect bible study. The first thing I took up was my cell phone when I woke up in the morning. I'm telling you. Facebook statuses became my go to for "a word from God". They made me feel justified in visiting FB every five seconds. I would say, see, there's some good things on Facebook too. How pathetic was that? Instead of getting it straight form my Heavenly Father, I was satisfied in getting it second hand. There's nothing like hearing directly from God. He knows us so intricately, that each message is tailored specifically for our time, our circumstance and our personality.
And yes, God can find you wherever you are and send messages through others for you too. Even on social networks. Oh you better believe He found me on FB even though I was running away from spending that time with Him. I'm telling you, it still wasn't the same. I felt as if something was missing. Those posts could only go so far and as soon as I got offline I forgot about them anyway. I needed that special one on one time where I could hear God's voice directly and just bask in the knowledge that He came down to earth to spend time with little old me. Nothing beats that experience. It fills you for the rest of the day and gives you peace to deal with life's everyday twists and turns.
When distractions replace a vital part of our relationship with God we're in big trouble.
What some of us don't realize, is that they can be like parasites if we allow them to become a permanent part of our lives and are also addictive by nature. Yep. That's what they do. They suck your vital life forces. Although they can come in different forms they all require lots of mental and sometimes physical energy. They creep up on you and at first pose no threat. But like weeds they can spread quickly and go unnoticed until they get to gigantic proportions. They drain your life and cripple you for real usefulness the way God intends. Soon we can find ourselves tangled up in a web that seems almost impossible to break, not knowing how we got there or how to get out. Some of us can even look like we're very busy all the while, while still being distracted. Ohh yes. Seems like these distractions can be more addictive than drugs themselves.
All distractions aren't necessarily bad, though. What I mean is, it may be an important issue that pertains to life. However, they are usually the types of issues that could wait. They are the types of distractions that are "good" in themselves but at the wrong time they are just as bad as other sinful distractions. What makes these distractions effective, is the fact that they come at a time when you know you ought to be engaged in something more important. Uh Huh.The enemy can make you feel that you're not a good wife, mother, sister, friend or the like because you may have to say no to someone in order to get the more important tasks done.
Sis. You will recognize distractions for what they are regardless of the way they're disguised. You hear that still, small, voice prompting you and telling you what you ought to be doing right now.
You know what I mean. You know you don't need to be talking to that fool of a boy right now, or ever. You know you don't need to be looking at this show while you have more important things to do. You know if you pick up that phone and answer that girlfriend who's calling bout her "boyfren" for the umpteenth time, she will have enough info to start her own show. I'm just saying you usually know the ways the enemy is distracting you. If it's not helping you accomplish anything whether for now or for the future, it's a distraction.
Well how am I suppose to keep myself from being distracted? I'm so glad you asked. Here it goes.
Get into God's word. And STAY there!
I can't say it any other way. I can't say it enough. We are told in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that "... we all, with open face beholding...the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory...". We become more like Christ by beholding Him. We behold Him by spending time with Him in His word. When you come to God with a humble and teachable spirit He opens up His word to you. It has all the directions you will need to live this life pleasing to Him, including how to stay focused and handle distractions. He encourages us in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. He's not harmless in any way, shape or form. His plan is to devour you; kill you in the most heinous of ways , if he could.
God knows that distractions will come. They are another form of temptation and He sometimes uses them to help build our character. Many times though, we put ourselves in places we know we should never have gone, watch things we should never be watching, reading or listening to. Yes we place ourselves in tempting situations where God never sent us. He still will help us if we realize our mistakes and turn back to Him.
I pray today for you my sisters that you will, through spending time with your Heavenly Father, find strength to counteract your distractions. Fill your minds as much as possible with the things of Christ. He admonishes us again in Philippians 4:8 to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtuous. When God takes over completely, our words will be true, our heart will be honest, our actions will be just, our minds will be pure, our character will be lovely, our lives will be worthy of having a good report and our motives will be virtuous.
This may not be you right now but you can take that first step today towards placing God in His rightful position in your heart. This journey is meant to be taken one step at a time. If you endure, you will see the results. It is possible because with God all things are possible. God has given us all the tools that we need. It's way past time that we begin to use them. Blessings!
PRAYING FOR YOU!!
A Woman's Place! Blessings on You!
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