The Distraction Dilemma
What has your attention? In this smartphone age, where the entire internet can fit in our hands, focus feels impossible. In our world of never-ending media, where we can walk into a restaurant and find TVs covering every wall, distractions abound. In the time of Netflix, where one show plays right after another on repeat, entertainment lures us away.
God is too easily forgotten in all of the madness of our busy lives. Who has time to pay attention to spiritual things? We can sometimes be too busy, tired, overwhelmed, or entertained to care. Or maybe, deep in our hearts, we care but don't know what to do about it. On the one hand, we have all these tasks and responsibilities weighing us down; on the other hand, we have God — the very God who says, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).
By keeping us in mental chaos, luring us away from life-giving habits, and leading us to say yes to things we ought never to say yes to, distractions rob us of rest and keep us from being formed into the likeness of Christ. Distraction is one of the leading causes of spiritual fatigue and negligence in a leader. We often avoid making space in our lives to focus on our souls because we're afraid of being overwhelmed by what we may discover there. It can be overwhelming to think about our wounds, wants, and disappointments, and we believe life is easier if we avoid them and press on.
We've all got a God-sized hole that no other gods can fill. We've got to recognize the ways we've been trying to let them — and stop. Say no to what pulls us away from God and instead move toward him.
Distraction comes from all different directions and in various forms, but the result is the same each time. Distraction takes us off course and either prevents us from experiencing something God has for us or puts us in the wrong position. Getting back on track from being spiritually distracted isn't difficult; however, it will require us to get intentional with our time and attention.
A distraction takes your attention away from what you're supposed to do. Distraction comes from the Latin dis-, "apart," and "drag." So distraction is when you are dragged away from your task or focus. The goal of distraction is to interrupt your focus. When the enemy can disturb your focus, he will also interrupt your course of action and delay your objectives, goals, and in time, your leadership and purpose.
Distractions get our eyes off what God has called us to do and put our attention elsewhere. Like an illusionist, Satan loves to misdirect our gaze so we miss what is really happening. When I desire the world and grow too busy and divided to be alone with God, when devices entice me more than the Scriptures, my soul stretches thin.
Colossians 1:17, the apostle Paul writes this truth about Christ: “And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.” Christ is not before some things; he is before ALL things. When distracting thoughts course through your mind, trying to derail your faith, or hinder your attention, force them back into submission. See how Jesus can be found in them. Even awareness of your need, brokenness, heartache, worries, and fears points you back to Christ, who is before all things and holds all things together, including you.
What we need to do is redirect our attention back to Jesus. Can you see examples of distractions tearing you apart in your own life?
We're not outside-in people but inside-out people. When we feel something is wrong with us, many of us try to fix the problem by doing. We change our schedules. We tell ourselves we'll eat better, exercise more, or spend less time on our phones. But the problem isn't any of those things; the problem is our hearts. They're sick and in need of God's help. We can't change our hearts through behavior modification; we need heart transformation.
When a potential distraction comes to you, it matters what you do with it.
Focus is a fight. People do not drift toward holiness. We drift toward disobedience and self. That means we do not drift toward spending time with God; we drift toward distraction and letting other things fill our minds. Pay attention to what you pay attention to.
"Pay attention to what you hear" (Mark 4:24), and the author of Hebrews highlights the importance of our attention not just in our coming to faith, but in enduring faith. "We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1).
Beware of “the cares of this world…” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce neglect to our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention from God. Refuse to be consumed by “the cares of this world.”
Distraction is destroyed with our devotion. Our soul's devotion to Christ and His living, active Word, the weapon of truth. Scripture encourages us to resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7). While the world pushes us toward instant sound bites and noise, fight the enemy with aggressive attentiveness to knowing God intimately.
He deserves our undivided attention and humble willingness to behold him for who he is. If we genuinely want growth, we need to get serious about putting off the old self (Eph 4:22) and seeking the Lord's presence with our full, undistracted, undivided attention. As we stop looking at worthless things, the burdens fall off our shoulders. It's the worthless things that entangle us. As we focus on Jesus, our life comes back into focus. It’s a fresh start every single time our gaze meets his. Starve your distractions and feed your focus on Christ.
-MH
