A guy walked into Panera with a satchel over his shoulder and coffee in hand. As he slid into a booth, he pulled a book from his bag, laid it on the table and proceeded to scroll on his phone for the next forty-five minutes. He then placed the book back into his bag, and proceeded out the door. I am going to assume he had every intention of reading for the duration of his time at Panera. His best-laid plans were derailed by one last glance at his phone. He had plans for something good but quickly found himself distracted.
A meaningful reflection happens as we live undistracted.
Def. Distraction — A thing that prevents someone from giving their full attention.
Just like the guy at Panera got distracted from the book by his phone, if not careful, we get distracted from what matters most by things that matter very little. Because time is valuable, the amount of time we spend in distraction costs us more than we realize.
How Do We Fight Distraction?
1. By staying focused on the goal.
Jesus exemplified laser focus on God’s plan for His life. Jesus prioritized and was fueled by God’s plan the same way we prioritize food because it keeps us alive. Jesus conveyed this priority when He said “My food is to do the will of who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
2. By pursuing total commitment to Jesus.
The Apostle Paul said the goal for Christians is to daily reach for Christ who first reached out to us. In Philippians 3:15-16, Paul says:
We may have periods of distraction in our walk with Jesus, but that doesn’t mean it’s over and we can’t get back on the path. As we mature in our walk with Jesus, our focus upon Him and how He wants to work through us becomes not only clearer, but more prominent.
Distraction hinders progress and keep us where we are. Let’s put down the things that distract so we can pick up the things that help us grow to be more like Jesus.
Keep Reflecting Jesus!