When Life Happens...Easily Distracted
Preparing to write this blog post, I realize how easy I can get distracted. How easy it is to get off course. With all that we juggle from day to day, distractions are imminent. Distractions are bound to arise, even in the best of us. Have you been so distracted that you feel miles away from the Voice of God? You pray, you read the Word, your daily devotional , you mediate, but nothing is working. There seems to be a fog that distorts the very space in front of you. You are reaching and reaching and there is nothing to grab.
This has been me on and off for over a month now. Trying to remain sane at work, while balancing my personal life and being a wife, a mom, a woman of God, the weight has been heavy lately and I know it’s all a distraction.
IDENTIFYING DISTRACTIONS
Distractions can be internal. Inner voices can sometimes be louder than the truth about what God has said about you. What loud, obnoxious thoughts are you allowing to run rampant in your mind, bringing unrest to your spirit? What is causing you to get distracted? And preventing you from focusing on the bigger purpose, plan, and agenda?
Distractions can also be external. What outside forces are you allowing to run the course of your day? Who are you allowing to cloud your vision and throw you off course? Too often, we allow things outside of ourselves to rule and reign over our behaviors, and responses.
OVERWHELMED
Since the planning for Becoming Women commenced, there has been distraction after distraction. The load at work increased. I was suddenly responsible for many daily tasks that at one time was the responsibility of three people. Emails were like Pringles! Once you pop, you can’t stop! I wanted to scream! Even though I realized it was all distraction, I fell right into the trap!
I tried to address every email, every question that came to my desk. Address every personal matter that arose, plan effectively for all the things on my agenda. The issue with juggling so many things all at once, is something is bound to fall. Usually, if left unchecked, the ball that falls out of rotation is you or more importantly, your relationship with God. Then, the ending result is you running on empty like a distracted chicken with its head cut off!
I have identified some principles to implement to help us better cope with life’s distractions. As we discuss these three principles, think on your own personal distractions and things that you have found useful in avoiding distractions. Or how you plan on better dealing with them.
SLOW DOWN
This is a hard one for me because I am one for efficiency and if for any reason I detect a hiccup with the plan, I go into rush mode, which creates anxiety.
I believe I am so easily distracted because I forget that I can do nothing in my own strength. In Him, I live, I move, and I have my being. (Acts 17:28) We quote this passage of scripture so commonly that the sheer weight of what we are speaking goes over our head. If I know that I am nothing without Him and I can do absolutely NOTHING without Him, why do I keep trying?
The thing is, we do not intentionally do things without Him, we just get busy with our days; thinking I have to do this and I have to that; instead of slowing down and asking, Lord what would you have me to do today? How can I serve You today? (And in serving Him, he will make the burden easy and yoke light. Matthew 11:30 ) And the still small voice of God will help gently guide us through our days and our to-do lists. Did you hear what I said? Gently guide us. This means that we have to quiet or minds and spirits to hear clearly what He is saying. He helps us to prioritize and more importantly, compartmentalize the intricacies of our days, of our lives, so that we are not overwhelmed. Being overwhelmed is a DISTRACTION!
EXERCISE CONTROL
Often my distractions are well within my control. Honestly, most of them are within my control. Recently, God chastened me, He clearly said, you are stronger, so exercise CONTROL! When this revelation hit, it hit hard. I am someone that gets annoyed easily. EASILY. (Please pray for me.) I think we talked about this in an earlier blog post. We often want external factors to align perfectly so that we can respond in such a way that prevents us from having to exercise control. The reality is, this never happens as perfectly as we envision. As discussed in a previous blog post, people will be people, life happens. What do you do when life happens? You move differently!
God revealed to me that you are stronger than the opposition, so you NEED TO DISPLAY CONTROL! This revelation hit me right in the chest. What He was essentially saying to me, if you know you are stronger, be it physically, or spiritually than a thing, why do you continually allow it to distract you!? If you know the punch; the right hand/hook combo, then why are you not blocking the hands of distraction!? The question I had to ask myself, and that I employ you to ask yourself as well is, why are you so easily distracted?
Exercising control goes beyond our physical actions, it more so heavily relates to controlling our thoughts. How do we control our thoughts? By guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
We have all that we need to exercise control. We just have to activate it so that its being used in those moments we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. Recently, I had to tell myself, girl you need to chill OUT!!! You ever behaved in such way that you SHAKE YOUR HEAD at yourself? I had an outer body experience with myself, girl, GIRL!
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5
QUIET YOUR SPIRIT AND MIND
I have recently started my prayers asking God to help me quiet my spirit and mind so that I can hear clearly during my prayer time. It is hard to hear someone when you are speaking over them. It is nearly impossible. I am listening but not hearing. Hearing is not only listening. But also understanding, and implementing what is being said at the time. You ever have a conversation with someone and you cannot get a word in edge wise? It is annoying and incredibly noisy. That’s how our minds and spirits are when we enter our are prayers full of ourselves and agendas.
Lord, please help me quiet my mind and spirit so that I can clearly hear Your voice.
Again, we have so many thoughts active at any given point in time; it is not difficult to understand why we cannot hear when the still small voice of God is gently guiding our thoughts and nudging us in the right direction.
Girl, BE QUIET!
Girl, tell your mind to be quiet! Be quiet so you can hear your directives for the day. What you should address, tackle for that day and what can wait. Should this even be a concern? Not everything is as urgent as we make it. We are so overly dramatic, calm down! Shakira, calm down!
In starting my prayers by quieting my spirit and mind, it is so much easier to hear, study, and meditate on the Word of God. I hear much clearer and the Word seems to be easier to understand. Slowing down also applies to this principle as well. We often rush our quiet time, slow down and really take your time. Starting our days in a less stressed state is key to minimizing distractions.
Life Happens
I know this can be a difficult task, especially for moms of school age children,especially for those living this life! There is nothing more stressful than trying to get a child out of the house, in one piece and fully clothed in the morning. Distractions will alter how you handle your day before it even gets started. When life happens, how we respond ultimately determines the lessons learned and how we will apply them when given the opportunity.
Declaration
So in the weeks to come, we are declaring the remainder of this year, we are conquering distractions. We will finish this year strong! There is still more than enough time for us to take advantage of every moment of every day so that we are BECOMING and not repeating the same patterns and yielding the same results.
What are your distractions?
Are you your own distraction?
Are you rushing your quiet time?
How do you plan to conquer your distractions?