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Jun 09, 2023 18:30pm

Remove the Distractions

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Distraction.

It can happen to me so easily. I’m reading a book and I think of something else and run to do it real quick. I’ll be talking with my husband and I’ll suddenly remember something I was supposed to do. Or a beautiful bird will fly down to the bird feeder and I’ll interrupt him to bring his attention to it. I’ll be working on a project and my hands will instinctively and addictively open up the Facebook app and scroll mindlessly through. I’ll head up the stairs to do one thing, start doing 3 other things, come back down the stairs and realize I never did the thing I first set out to do.

Distractions.

That’s why I love this time of the morning. My husband leaves for work at 6:30. The rest of the house is quiet. I can curl up in the corner of our cabin in my chair and read and write without too many distractions. I quiet the thoughts of the things on my to-do list. I fight the urge to thumb through Pinterest and Instagram. Instead, I try to focus my attention on what matters most.

“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”
Luke 1:80

I almost skipped over this verse and wanted to go straight to the birth of Jesus this morning. But as I read, I noticed something interesting about this scripture.

So far, we’ve learned that John was the son promised to Zacharias and Elisabeth by God. He was to be set a part for God’s purpose. John would proclaim the coming Messiah. He would prepare the way for Jesus, his cousin, to be revealed. John’s message would be different than anything people had ever heard from the religious leaders of their day.

So how would John get this message? How would he know what to say? How would this prophet learn?

Instead of spending his days and nights in a synagogue, John went straight to the teacher Himself, God. John spent most of his life in the wilderness of the desert. Why? Because he wanted a clear message from God. He didn’t want to be influenced or distracted by the things of this world. He wanted to be completely focused on the mission and message God had for him. He needed that time away in order to prepare the way.

Where do you go to get alone with the Lord? Where can you sit without distractions and focus in on the message that Jesus wants to share with you? Is there a time you have set aside for reading and praying with the Lord?

Start today.

Find a place, remove the distractions and get alone with God. Read. Study it out. Pray. Cry. Sing. Write. Draw. Use this time to reflect on what you’ve learned and the blessings from God. We make time for everything else in our life – eating, showering, work, exercising, entertainment, friends, family, a side business, trips, yard work… why not God? Is He not worthy?

Get alone with God, away from the distractions. You’ll be so thankful you did.