The Distraction Attraction
I started extra early to prepare for my Sunday School class, only to be distracted by another random task calling my name, leaving my preparation less than best.
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Then while in the class, my cell phone signaled a text message arrival. I quickly silenced the alert, only to have it vibrate loudly two minutes later with another text message.
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Several minutes later, someone else’s cell phone rang an alert.
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A few minutes after that, the children loudly shuffled past our group to practice their special presentation, returning 15 minutes later, sweetly suspending our discussion once again.
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The thing is – this type of stuff rarely happens in our class. No cell phones. No parades. No distractions. Each week, we have awesome discussions that experience very few interruptions. Even late arrivals don’t divert us from our study.
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Our text that morning was Acts 16, particularly the demon-possessed, fortune-telling servant girl who followed Paul for days shouting “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” This greatly distressed Paul, and he cast out her demon. Since the girl was declaring truth, our group shared thoughts on why Paul would be distressed, concluding that if he acknowledged her, he would appear to be linking the Good News with demon-related activities.
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And then it occurred to me. While that was most certainly true, it might also be simply that she was a distraction to the work Paul and his companions were doing.
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Grrrr! That word – distraction!
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Lately, I’ve been quite convicted about my own distracted nature. Unlike the focused, goal-oriented people I admire, I am a tumbleweed, often wandering from room to room, task to task. Being very busy, but in reality, accomplishing little.
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When my dear friend, Joanne Kraft, says that her nickname is “bright, shiny thing,” I laugh out loud, knowing that it could easily be mine too! She calls it “the attraction of distraction,” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s a lure, a snare, a decoy. Like a fishing lure, distraction will entice us, then hook us, keeping us from accomplishing anything.
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“Hi, my name is Susan, and I’m a distractaholic.”
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There I said it. Just as alcohol can derail the one addicted to it, so too, can distraction. Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a free spirit. Usually, I love being one. But there are times when I know that God signals a certain task for my day or a call on my life, and I must be honest and admit – I’m simply being disobedient.
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Oswald Chambers said that “Good is the enemy of best.” The soothsaying servant girl shared a good and truthful statement, but it was a distraction from the men who were on God’s mission of truth. I may be busily serving the Lord, but if I’m not also listening to Him, my work is a distraction from my relationship with Him.
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Sometimes, a tumbleweed needs an anchor.
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Thankfully, God gives us 2 sure anchors. His Word and His Spirit. When I catch myself floating aimlessly like an untethered balloon, be it around the house, the job, or the internet (those “weapons of mass distraction!”), I reel myself in, refrain from accusing myself, and get back to the task at hand, ever grateful for His grace and forgiveness.
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I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. 1 Cor. 7:35b
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What do you do to keep on track?
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Susan
www.susanpanzica.com
www.eternitycafe.blogspot.com
Unfortunately, I too get distracted easily and forget what I was doing. It drives me crazy. When you find a good recipe, please let me know. I need more focus.
Susan,
I love the way you describe your distraction….like a tumble weed….I can so relate to what you wrote today. Lists help me some. I love crossing something off ….it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I like what you said when you do find yourself being distracted…you reel yourself in, refrain from accusing yourself, get back to the task and be grateful for God’s grace and forgiveness. Sounds like a good recipe to me!
Thank you Susan, for sharing your heart, your life and your insight with us!
I think most people get distracted.
Oh no…you nailed me! This is a constant struggle for me. I like you love the concept of free spirit, but too often I’m just excusing my distractedness, my procrastination, my lesser choice. This is a continued mission for me. And like losing weight and getting healthier, I’m not giving up. Armed with prayer that God would order my priorities, a To Do list, and a timer, even this week I plan to make progress!
Bless you friend!
Sometimes I think that we get distracted during the day when we start trying to plan our whole day, or rely too much on that “to do list”, instead of just turning things over to the Lord and saying “tell me what to do today”, or “tell me what to do right now”…somehow, it always seems that if I make sure that Jesus is my “scheduler”, things go smoothly and I’m able to stay more on task–because it’s His chosen task for that day!