I’ve been overwhelmed the last several weeks with the realization of how prevalent distractions are in my life. What’s overwhelming isn’t how bad these distractions are but how good they are.
When we think of distractions, usually it’s a bad connotation. A distraction is something evil that sidetracks us from something good. But what’s much more common is something that is good distracting us from something that is best. There are still the bad things that distract us, but these often come after we’ve already let our guard down from doing the best.
There are so many things in this world that are good. God created the things that we see, and if used the way he designed them to be used, they have a great purpose and can even be great tools to grow in him and teach others about him.
Unfortunately, the flesh constantly wants to give it’s full attention and energy to everything but God.
To put it bluntly, our flesh desires to kill us. Not our physical death, though maybe sometimes that too, but our spiritual death. Our flesh does everything it can to spiritually kill us, and it gets excited any time there is something that it knows will help accomplish this. Sometimes these things are evil, but often they disguise themselves as things that are good.
There are countless examples of what this looks like, but one of the most accepted is music. There are so many people who I have met in my life who give everything they are to music. Their life is music, they worship music, they can’t go a day without music.
The desire starts with good intentions. Music is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a great thing, one of the best things! God created it, there is clearly a beautiful and Godly way to use it, but many obsess over it and it becomes their God.
Sound strong? Take this: Anything you desire more than God is your God.
If we have no foundation to hold onto as we do the many things in our life, it is impossible to stay on the right path without getting distracted. It’s like being put in the middle of a circle with a blindfold on and expected to go North. If we have nothing to base our decisions on, it’s no wonder we give ourselves to everything but Christ. The things that start out well-intentioned soon become our obsession and when that happens. guess what’s more important than God all of a sudden?
Distractions come in all different shapes and sizes. Everything from people to technology to jobs. All are good things in themselves, but if we aren’t careful and stay grounded in God, you will see how these things gradually take over your life and the decisions you make.
Don’t be deceived, the worst distractions are often the most wholesome things.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[a]—is not from the Father but is from the world. – 1 John 2:15-16