“Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth” -Colossians 3:2
We live in a world of distractions that can influences our spiritual growth and obedience if we are not careful.
Worldly distractions can keep us from our salvation. In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-23, it teaches that one of the reasons God’s truth does not take root and grow is because the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke out God’s Word that has been sown.
It’s a daily battle we have to fight because there is plenty we can worry about or lust after. In the early 2000’s there was a saying, “keeping up with the Joneses.” It was about people wanting to have homes, fancy cars, outdoor toys, basically anything that someone else had, other people had to strive for. It cause’s families to lose everything, because they couldn’t afford the lifestyle they were living. It was a distraction that ruined people’s lives.
We must remind ourselves daily that this world isn’t our home.
Worldly distractions can keep us from growing and living according to God’s truths. Paul prayed for the church in Colossians to be filled with knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so they could walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. This required them to say no whenever it distracted them from seeking Jesus above all else.
We must do the same, and desk decisively with everything that pulls us away from what’s really important -knowing Jesus. I find this battle to be ongoing to keep good things in their proper place, such as social media, phones, entertainment, work, and being occupied with worldly affairs. These things are good, but they should not keep us from doing what is good for our souls.
Worldly distractions can keep us from our, enjoying God’s presence in our lives.
We can learn from the account in Luke 10, when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha who both delight to welcome their teacher into their home. Mary sat a Jesus feet and listened to Jesus’s teaching, but Martha was distracted with a lot of serving, She was distracted from actually spending time with Jesus.
We can be distracted by things we are sincerely doing to please Jesus -good things. Jesus doesn’t want us to be doing for Him at the expense of being with Him.
Even Jesus frequently went off by Himself to a quiet place to have fellowship with His Father. He wants us to do the same because there is joy in His presence and endless pleasures at His right hand.
“You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more” – Psalm 16:11
God wants me to teach us how to be at rest in the middle of chaos and confusion of this world. Regardless of what distractions, pressures, trials, sufferings are coming at us at any given moment, our hearts will only be at rest when it’s fixed on Jesus.
The more we put our trust in God’s goodness and sovereign control over every circumstance of our lives, the less unexpectedor hard things can steal the peace of joy we have been given in Jesus.
I cherish my times of fellowship with God each day, but I have learned how easily I can get distracted or discouraged by the circumstances of my day.
God calls us to a life where distractions fade and His voice becomes the One we listen to first and foremost.
We should listen for the Holy Spirit’s when we are being pushes and pulled from every direction and when feel calm and peaceful. When we feel like we can make sense of nothing and everything seems to be falling into place. When our strength is gone and our faith is weak, and when we’re feel good and our strength is strong.
This is the life God call us to as He weans us from the world counterfeits of peace, joy, strength, and security. As we learn to increasingly depend on Jesus, for every need and desire, we find that God’s peace and joy well up in us like a fountain and even when everything around us is shaken, our confidence and hope in Jesus remains.
From Pity to Praise 