Distractions

Distractions; they come in many different ways, at different times and they have different effects on us. Sometimes we get distracted for a few seconds or for a few minutes. Other times it might be a few days, then there are those who have been distracted for a few years. We don't realize the effect that distractions have on our lives. It might be something as small as you day dreaming at school or at work. Every time you look at your phone waiting for a reply you are being distracted from whatever else you were doing. Those are some very small everyday examples but distractions are not always so small.

For me in the past there have been days where I was so distracted by everything that was going on in my life, and I ended up in prayer for only a few minutes and only once that day. I am sure that I am not the only one that this has happened to. We try to keep it to ourselves when we realize that we were so distracted. I was embarrassed that I got so distracted and didn't spend time talking to God. I did not want to admit that I forgot but here I am finally deciding to admit it because again, I don't think that I am alone in this. Luckily I was able to realize what I was doing and I asked for forgiveness and I actually haven't let distractions take away from my prayer life but that is not the only thing that can be effected by distractions.

Right now I am sick, all I can think about is the fact that I hate being sick. I have a major project and an exam to complete tomorrow, yet all I can think about is how I feel. I do not feel motivated to do my work, even though I know it must get done. If I do not put my distractions aside, I could face getting a bad grade, or not doing my best work and getting a low grade. Most of those reading this are not in school, but the same can be true for the workplace. If you have an office job, you have to be organized and on top of paper work and whatever else your job requires. Say you had a bad morning before work and that's all you could think about; if you do not get your work done because you are distracted you could face consequences that you did not want.

The bigger issue is when Christian get distracted from God. You may not be getting distracted on purpose, most of us don't do it on purpose. There is that old saying that "life happens", its as if you have an excuse to be distracted but we do  not. God knows when your kids are causing trouble at home and He knows that you can't stop thinking about how to fix things. He knows where our hearts are at, and He waits for us to turn to Him. If we do not put God first we risk being the person who gets distracted for weeks or months. We get distracted when we are consumed with anxiety about making enough money to provide for our families, or wondering about the future and the life that your kids will inherit. It is so tiring to be so distracted from the Lord and His plans.

 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?^" Matthew 6: 25-27

Let me be the first to admit that I let worries become distractions in my day to day life. No matter how many questions I ask the answer is still the same. He gives us the same response because we need to embrace this truth in order to live and to love the life that has been given to us by our Lord and Savior. I challenge you to take a look at your life and figure out what is distracting you. If may be small and it may be large but give it to God because you cannot follow His path if you are continuously questioning His ways. Be in prayer and know that this might take time but it all starts with you admitting that you have distractions and asking for help to change.