I’m sure I don’t have to remind anyone reading this that the world around us is full of distractions. All kinds. Many shapes and sizes. Everywhere, every day. And they don’t stop! They are a constant stream of overwhelming, time-consuming, energy-sapping disruptions and disturbances that keep us off track and feeling defeated at times, because the really important things don’t seem to get done, let alone finished. This is not procrastination, that’s a different thing. We’re talking distractions here.
Of course, there are some good distractions from the usual daily grind, like entertainment, an unexpected visit from a friend, a quiet dinner on the spur of the moment, an intentional recreational pursuit of some kind. You know the sort of thing, pleasant distractions for which we have the time or have set aside the time. Time to smell the roses and so on. These are not really distractions in the negative sense. They are welcome distractions where we replenish and catch our breath.
Well, I’m not talking about pleasant distractions here. No, I am a bit cheesed off with the torrent of useless distractions that come our way each day and which cause us to lose focus, waste time and resources, and which keep us behind schedule and far from reaching our goals. (You do have some goals, don’t you?). These distractions have many guises. I have mentioned here recently about the useless arguments and disputes that flood social media platforms – such a waste of time, and so addictively distracting for so many keyboard warriors! But there is also the pursuit of triviality, too. The mindless web-surfing that consumes hours of our time and energy with nothing to show for it at the end of the day, is a major distraction these days. We cannot get that time back, and a lot of what we explore has no redeeming value at all.
Then there is the endless, it seems, torrent of distracting “Christian” (I use the term advisedly) content on digital media platforms like Youtube. For example, there are video clips on “Who were the Nephilim?”, or, “What was going on in Heaven before the earth was formed”, or, “10 facts about Nephilim giants and angel-human hybrids” (did you note the abject contradiction in that last one? Angels cannot procreate. Ridiculous! But I digress). The point is whilst some of this stuff might be interesting and helpful to our Christian walk occasionally, most of it isn’t – it’s pure distraction orchestrated by the devil to divert our eyes off the critical priorities of life. I have lost count of the times when I have been asked questions by Christians on these kinds of things – many, many more questions on this stuff than, say, personal holiness, finding my ministry and so on. But wait, there’s more. In more cases than we care to admit some of these distractions have so gotten a hold of us that they are deal-breakers when it comes to debate, or when we disagree with each other and friendships are damaged. Really?
In a day and age where distractions are used to blind us from seeing what is important, and used to dull our brains from desiring any critical analysis, Christians are vulnerable if they become ensnared and tangled in distractions.
The Bible gives us brilliant truths about how to combat distractions that keep us from holy priorities. Here are a few to help you get back on track.
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
“But seek first his [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
And the things that will be added by God won’t be distractions – they’ll be the necessary things vital for our walk with Him and for this life, and the next.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Everything that hinders? You guessed it – distractions. Oh, and sin that so easily entangles, as well. So, fix your eyes on Jesus – not the Nephilim.
Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV) “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
If our hearts are set on things above, our minds are quickly going to spot any earthly distractions coming at us.
The whole point here is the discipline of day-to-day focus, and the ruthless elimination of all unhelpful distractions that ensure that.
Think on these things.
Ps Milton