THE AGE OF DISTRACTIONS

Mankind has always faced distractions because distractions are mainly in our heart and mind. However, I am sure we would admit that there has never been a time when there is so much around us to distract our minds and attention. This electronic age is a temptation to us and to our children. I notice young people who can hardly focus on looking you in the eye and talking to you because they are constantly looking down at their IPhone to check messages.

How are we relating? We are either disciplined or distracted. We are either focused or fragmented. Firstly in our relationship with the Lord. I am inherently a disciplined person, but I have to confess that I am also tempted. It is convenient to have God's Word on our IPads or IPhone, but it can be a distraction. There are times when I may think, "I'll just check my Facebook before I read the Word" and lo and behold I have wasted much valuable time when I could have been doing the most important--listening to God speak to me through His living and powerful Word. I find it less tempting to use my Bible!

And what about the most important career God has given to us of motherhood? Satan is a pro at keeping us distracted from our highest calling. There are so many things we can get involved in outside the home even if we are a stay-at-home mother. We have the Internet, organizations, and people pulling at us from every direction. And most of these things that compete for our time are good or we wouldn't even contemplate them. But they distract us from the most important.

Another thing we have to watch is being caught up with the present circumstances rather than keeping our eyes on the long-term goal. Oh yes, as a mother we have to attend to interruptions that continually happen throughout the day, but we still must watch that we don't allow something that looms up in front of us to take us away from our calling. Keep your eyes on the goal. Keep your eyes on eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18 and Philippians 3:13, 14).

Will you be distracted today or disciplined? Will you be focused or fragmented by everything that pulls at you?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell