Distractions

I have been struggling to write something meaningful lately.  There are so many things that pull me away from my keyboard.  Simple things.   Like the dogs need to go outside or I’m suddenly thirsty.  And also, not-so-simple things; like needing to pick up a sick kid from school or my neighbor loudly playing his drums.   Distractions. We all have them.  They come at us all day long.  How do we focus on one thing while all the other things are happening around us? 

More importantly, how do we focus on our relationship with God when there is so much going on?   We are living in an age where everything is at our fingertips.  If I want to know the meaning of a word, I can ask my watch.  Food can be delivered to my front door.  Entertainment is just a click away.  With all of this convenience, it should be easy to focus on one thing at a time.  But it isn’t.  Especially our relationship with God.   Instead, it has become a hindrance to our meaningful conversations with Him. 

Intentional listening

What is it that keeps us from spending time with Him?   The dings from our little handheld computers and the vibrations on our wrists alert us to what is going on in the world around us.   Someone is at the door, you have an important email,  notifications of school buses running late, etc.   Not to mention all of the things we add to our own calendars to help us feel like we’ve got it all together.   And then the unthinkable happens.  Someone gets sick and all of your got-it-togetherness is out the door. 

No wonder we have a hard time just sitting and reading our Bibles, or anything for that matter.   There is so much noise in our lives.  Who can be still for more than a few minutes to pray?  We rush through our prayers like a grocery list ticking things off as we go.  And we do it while rushing from one event to the next.  (Not that praying in the car or while doing laundry is bad.   It actually is good to have constant conversations with God.  I once prayed that my prayers wouldn’t end.  That I would be constantly talking to God and hearing from Him.  Those around me probably said “Something is wrong with that woman.  She is always talking to herself.”  Little did they know!)

The trouble with all of the interference is we are losing our ability to hear that still small voice.  Life has gotten louder.  We have to listen really hard for the voice that leads us and directs us along the path of life.  When we quiet the noise, He is easier to hear.  I believe that’s what He wants.   For each of us to intentionally listen for His voice.

1 Kings 19:12 “And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

DND

In order to focus on any given thing, whether it’s a work assignment or a project at home, we have to guard ourselves against distractions intentionally.  When I worked in a downtown office and had an assignment due, I would put a Do Not Disturb sign on my door.  My old desk phone even had a DND button that forwarded all calls.   It was great for getting things done!  

We can implement that in our talks with God.   When it is time for prayer and reading His Word, we can choose to leave our phones and watches in the other room.   Being intentional about our time will minimize distractions.   If you keep a planner, then schedule your prayer time.  Even if it is at 6 a.m.  Write it down.  Put it first on your to-do list. 

Psalm 5:3 NIV “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation”

We know where they come from

Not all distractions will stop at first, some will even get worse!  My neighbor’s drums got louder and more frequent. I just have to get up earlier to read, pray and write. Finding ways to minimize distractions will be the best thing we can do. If your little ones start waking up at the time you set aside to pray, then they’ll just have to pray with you!  If your husband suddenly needs your attention, you’ll have to gently give it to him and then let him know it’s your prayer time.   We all know where and why the distractions come in the first place.  The devil doesn’t want us to have a prayer time.   If he can keep us from it then he is keeping us from God’s plans. Then he turns around and makes us feel bad for not doing it. Remember that God is not mad at you.  He misses hearing from you and he has much to tell you.   Do your best to be intentional about your time with Him.       

Proverbs 3:6 MSG Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.

For more on prayer check out this post: How to Arise in Prayer

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