Distracted by God

I spent a few days with my dear friend Stephanie recently and enjoyed a couple of late evenings catching up as our lives are currently separated by a few hundred miles. One night we stayed up until 1:30a.m. chatting! That is quite a late night for me – late enough to give me a second wind and make me unable to get to sleep when I did head to bed. Knowing I would be pretty tired in the morning, I took advantage of my alertness and decided to spend some time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word.

I am thankful that I am not separated from God by hundreds of miles and am instead able talk to Him anytime. He is always with me - willing, able, and ready to lead and instruct me when I allow Him. Sadly, I often get distracted by petty issues and emotions, losing sight of what matters to Him. Much effort is necessary for me to keep God in sight and not be sidetracked by insignificant concerns.

Certain issues should be in the center of my mind because God has placed them there. Examples include my husband and being a loving helpmate to him, as well as my sons and their education. My family is not a distraction, but rather a part of God’s will for my life.

He has also given me certain gifts, along with ministry opportunities to use those gifts. These occasions for service outside of the home should be done in obedience to the Lord and not become a diversion that takes my time or thoughts away with Him.

With much frustration, however, I too often find myself fixated on issues that do divert my attention away from where God desires it. I find myself caring more about what others think rather than focusing on what God has commissioned me to do; I become absorbed in the latest juicy news and forget to reflect on the Good News; disappointment, discouragement, and dismay set in rather than joyfulness, contentment, and hope. I yearn to reverse that tendency and instead become so distracted by God that I cannot keep my mind on trivial matters or ones that I simply should stay out of.

As I prayed in those early hours at my friend’s house, I turned to the book of Jude, one of the one-chapter books I had decided to read while out of town and away from my New Testament commentary. I read in Jude about grumblers, complainers, and people who follow their own desires. Sounds like me when I take my eyes off the Lord.

I asked God to help me be more fully concentrated on Him and what He has placed in my life rather than the news and emotions around me that draw my mind away from His will. Subsequent verses from this short book in the Bible encouraged me to avoid this trend by growing continuously in my faith and in my communication with God and by reflecting often on His grace and mercy.

Rather than give preeminence to the unimportant in life, my desire is to walk through each day so distracted by God that any selfish thoughts, prideful emotions, and insignificant concerns simply become a blur and fade away.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 20-21