Weapons Of Mass Distraction

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.” ― Proverbs 5:1 

People have had trouble staying focused throughout history and today is no exception. In fact, it has grown exponentially worse. We quickly become bored and conditioned to distraction in our life and that is true of our spiritual life as well. Distractions cram our ability to listen and think carefully, to be still, to pray, and to meditate. Distractions shift our attention from something of greater importance to something of lesser importance. 

With all the distractions around us, we can struggle to find a deep, satisfying relationship with God. We lose Him in the myriad of things that cloud our minds. We all have the best intentions. We are excited about God, but we all fall victim to the distractions of this world. When we are distracted we have a diminished ability to think deeply about God, to truly know Him as He is, and to grow more like Him. It is harder and harder to stop long enough to study the scriptures. We struggle with the attention needed to find quality time for God. Where prayer used to be the first activity of the day, we now begin our daily routine by checking our e-mail or checking our Facebook page. 

We are also constantly in danger of becoming superficial in our relationship with God. We are often content with skimming the surface, rather than putting in the time and effort necessary for a more satisfying and intimate relationship with Him.

Okay…there are distractions in your life. Now what? You cannot eliminate all the distractions in life, but what you can do is to focus on Jesus. What are His priorities?  Is the distraction taking you away from time with Him? If we are easily overloaded, overburdened with the busyness of life, stop hitting the fast forward button. Rather hit the pause button and spend time in God’s presence. 

Our goal is the same, to not be distracted by anything that pulls us away from what’s supremely important—knowing Christ. God calls us to a life where distractions fade and His voice becomes the One we listen to first and foremost. 

Discussion Questions: 

1. What kind of distractions do you have in your life? Do you surround yourself with distractions intentionally or unintentionally? 
2. Does your schedule, time, and life look like that of a person who wants to spiritually grow? 
3. What are some things in your daily life you could change to eliminate some of the distractions?