Power of Distraction
If you're anything like me, you get distracted easily and I mean EASILY. Like I could be doing one thing and all of a sudden, I see a tiny little creature enter my frame of vision and that’s where all my attention goes for a good…half an hour. What’s the result? Maybe I didn’t finish an assignment on time, I lose motivation or my working fuel went out, I waste time which then stresses me out. That’s the power of distraction. Which I know, and I'm sure, many of you know well.
Distraction is anything that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. Distractions come in many different forms including school, work, hobbies, ourselves, entertainment, events, social media,and technology. Distractions are not only a powerful force in our physical lives but also in our spiritual lives. Out of all people, responsibilities, events, and anything else that follows, God should take the top slot. Why? He is the captain of our ship, if we lose sight of Him how will we make it to our destination? How will we keep our focus on the objective at hand? How will we remain calm in stormy weather? This is how God is in our lives. When we start to give our attention to other things, when we begin to give in to a simple 20 second prayer before we go to bed. When we are content with our lives and start losing that feeling of conviction and urgency when we don’t spend time with God, everything else falls apart.
You may not realize it but the reason you don’t feel like yourself anymore is because you’ve removed Him from your life. Not spending time with God does not equal lack of love for God but the power of distraction is destruction. It starts off small and then it builds up, it takes time away from the things that matter most. It becomes a habit or even a lifestyle, similar to an addiction. The distraction itself may not be bad but when it takes the place of others that should precede it, that’s when it becomes something that needs to be stopped.The Bible combats distractions with verses such as 1 Corinthians 10:13 which states, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
No matter how strong and alluring the distraction may be, God will not give us a trial that we are not capable of overcoming, meaning that these distractions can be overcome. An example of the power of distraction is the story of Mary and Marth in Luke 10:39-42. Mary had sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what He said while Martha was distracted by preparations. When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary not helping her, Jesus replied, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” This shows how distractions can take our attention away from what matters the most. When we let distractions rule us, we lose sight of what truly matters and miss out on something that is worth more than what has stolen our attention.
Finally, “Distractions destroy action. If it’s not moving you towards your purpose, leave it alone.” - Jermaine Riley. Distractions are a destiny breaker not a destiny helper.
