Distracted
“Don’t Look Up”
We’ve all seen it.
A car zooming down the road, weaving in and out of lanes recklessly only to notice that the driver is on their phone. Their eyes glued to the small device in their hand unaware they’re a danger to themselves and others.
Distracted driving is a major problem with the advent of smartphones. They draw our mind within their little world while everything that’s happening peripherally is blocked out.
It happens at a stoplight when a driver doesn’t notice that the light has changed followed by a loud, honking horn that’s sounded by the frustrated drivers behind them.
But what happens when the distractions are not limited to your phone? What happens when the distractions reach into your home life, your relationships, or your time with God?
Distraction has become a chronic condition in our world. It’s also become a state of mind.
It’s easy to harp on any social media forum and blame the algorithms for keeping you distracted, but oftentimes people become distracted without their awareness of it.
I know this to be true in my life, so I know that it’s true in yours. The trap is that our distractions could be good things such as: hobbies, schedules, obligations, work, kids, etc.
While not necessarily bad, they can easily become an excuse to get you distracted.
The amount of things in our life that compete for our attention is enormous, and these are some of the tools that the devil likes to use on us.
They are like a trojan horse that we allow to infiltrate our lives, and before long they become our valid excuse for why we need to forgo our time with God.
The devil knows that when we’re separated from God it’s easier for him to prey upon. The Apostle Peter tells us that he’s like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We become distracted by the enemy and we’re isolated from the presence of God. We become vulnerable to his attacks.
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NLT
Like the lion, or any predator, they look for the easy prey. The prey that’s unprotected by the herd. He’s looking for those who’ve isolated themselves from God.
Connections
One of the greatest realizations I learned about God was that he doesn’t need us to be near him. God isn’t insecure or because he needs somebody to praise him. Jesus says in Luke 19:40 that the rocks will cry out if we don’t praise him.
God wants us to be near him because of one simple reason: he knows that we need him.
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He made us, knit us together in our mother’s womb and gave us a soul. He knows the deep hole of connection that each of us have and he longs to fill it.
Our circumstances in life can’t determine our level of need upon God. It is continual. We need him in all seasons and all situations. The mistake is to become complacent thinking that because everything is good then everything is all right.
Priorities
If we are aware of this, then why do we allow it to happen? Why, knowing how valuable our connection to God is, do we allow ourselves to be separated?
What is it about the human condition that keeps us always coming back to things that are a distraction from what God wants us to do in our lives?
It happens when our priorities change. It’s when God is no longer first and gets moved down a notch.
Then another.
And another.
Soon, God is that last thought in our day. It becomes easier and easier to excuse him. As a result, we move further and further from him.
Not all at once, but step by daily step.
That’s why it’s important to find God everyday. That’s why he’s so vital in your life.
Here’s the good news, no matter how many steps you’ve taken away from him, he’s still following you.
There are times where I might’ve left God, but he never left me. He was following me, stalking, waiting for me to call on him and I know that he’ll do the same for you.
Don’t let your distractions take you away from what God has for you. He understands your workload. He understands your responsibilities. Come to him first and he’ll order your steps. He can help you with those responsibilities.
The bible says “…seek first the kingdom of God.” Let him be first and you may find that he clears all your distractions.
What’s in your life today that’s distracting you from God’s presence?
What’s distracting you from what he’s calling you to do?
Why not turn that over to him and let him have control over those areas in your life. He’ll help you to overcome these areas and you’re actually running to God!
By running to God for help you are in turn acknowledging him to be the answer. This very action is trusting him to show up in your life!
You’re no longer distracted by the unimportant things but focused on the things that matter most.
