I’ve always been someone who is easily distracted. I’m not talking like physically where I…SQUIRREL!…ahem, where was I? No, I’m very easily distracted from the spiritual. This may manifest itself through God telling me to read my Bible, to pray, to love someone and instead I watch a movie or surf the Facebook feed. Why?
Because it’s easy.
For probably the last ten years or so I’ve wanted to change this. I’ve wanted to spend less time in my distractions and more time where God wants me to be. But the enemy loves to prey on my mind and tell me that it’ll be much more fun to watch some TV or much easier to surf the net as my spiritual mind turns to jelly.
It would be a fair assumption to say that I’m addicted to screen time. It’s true, I am. For 10 years I’ve told myself, “Today is the day I’ll cut back and spend more time with Jesus,” but then put a stipulation on it by adding, “…right after I watch this movie.”
I thought that by coming on the Race it would automatically get rid of my screen addiction and I would be a million miles from any distractions. The truth is this, and I want any potential Racers to know right now: Going on the Race will not get rid of your issues. No, they will follow you and they will be amplified a hundred times.
If you’re going on the Race to escape your issues then buckle up because they’re doubling their speed behind you.
This means we have to face our distractions head on. But first we have to identify what they are and be completely honest with ourselves. For example:
- · Screen time is my biggest distraction whether it is going on the internet, watching movies or T.V.
- · Making to-do lists is another one because it makes me feel like the day is entirely on my shoulders and God has no part of it. It allows no space for divine encounters or for the Holy Spirit to move.
- · Relationships are a big one, specifically romantic relationships. I find that I pour all my time and energy into that one special person and forget God and others.
Once you identify the distractions it is important to pray and ask God for help in eradicating the distracting hold these have on your life. None of these things are inherently bad but they become bad when they distract you from your true purpose in life. For me this might mean cutting way back on screen time or cutting it out completely for awhile. Though I did cut it out for a month while in Cambodia but then got right back into it hardcore in Malaysia, so this may mean an even more radical cut for me. But I keep putting it off.
Even more important than defining your distractions is finding that which stirs your affections for God. It’s all well and good to want to read the Bible but putting that into practice can be a bit harder. I have to be in a place where I thirst for God so much that there I can’t help but want to pour over the words of God. These are some examples in my life that encourage me to thirst for God:
- · Epic movies are huge for me. Not all screen time is bad. If I see a movie that encourages me to make a change, to be a difference or spurs me on to greatness then I feel closer to God.
- · Early morning alone time allows me to fully concentrate on God in the quiet and stillness of a beautiful morning. Despite me hating mornings.
- · Worship. If I get into a good worship session I don’t ever want it to stop.
- · When I see others do kind and selfless things I see Christ and it encourages me so much.
Knowing what stirs your affections is so important because when I start to feel dry I know what to do to really inspire me to seek God instead of the distractions.
I would highly encourage each and every one of you to make a list of what distracts you from God’s glory and then pray about how to handle those distractions. These distractions won’t be the same for everyone, there are many people who don’t get distracted by screen time. And certainly don’t view this in a legalistic way. This is special to your walk with God and looking down on anyone else for doing something or not doing something is definitely not what Christ wants.
Author and pastor Matt Chandler talks about this in his book, To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain, and it’s actually where I got inspired to do the very thing I’m telling you to do. He writes;
“The worst thing we can do in figuring out what stirs us and what quenches us is to determine for others that they shouldn’t watch TV, or that they must get up early in the morning in order to be godly people. If we do that we are not glorying in Christ, but in our behaviors. We’ve suddenly turned pursuit of Christ into the same badges of honor Paul says we should throw away, consider as rubbish. In other words, we start to worship worship.”
Then make a list of what stirs your affections for God. When you identify these things then run to them and run hard. And above all, don’t wait. I repeat; don’t wait. Make the changes now because otherwise 10 years will go by and no change will have happened and you’ll be stuck in the same rut. Believe me, I know. Making a radical change is ridiculously hard but why not do it now? It’ll be just as hard to do it tomorrow, next week, next year, or 20 years from now.
What is it that distracts you? What stirs you? Comment below and let me know and maybe there is something that stirs you that I haven’t even thought about that could really be helpful for me and others.
“He has broken the bonds that held us back. He has set us free. He has given us life. He has given us the empowering Spirit. So run! Make a break for it. Pursue Him and Him alone, with force, oomph, and passion.” –Matt Chandler
