I can't say that I have had a great and wonderful week. Other weeks have been easier for me to deal with. Nevertheless, I have lots to be thankful for! My thanks goes first to God, then to my husband and my doctors. Then I am so thankful for my family who called me and who extended sympathy and who prayed for me—my sons, my brothers, my church family. I am so thankful for a cousin who came to spend time with me and give whatever help I needed this week. She kept me distracted, kept me from centering my thoughts on just me! So many were praying and that made my week better than I expected. Yes, I submitted to what had to be done and all the prayers and cards and calls have given me encouragement in my submission. Big thank you’s to everyone. And I pray that I will be able to submit to whatever God feels that I need to do to make my life better in the future and in line with what He thinks I need. I want to submit.
This week was another trip to the town of La Crosse on the day of my scheduled surgery. We have made the trip several times recently, so we knew the road well. We did not need the GPS Google maps lady to tell us when to turn and which road to take and what other information she might think we would need to have to get us safely to our destination. As we passed by one place, we noticed a large sign that let us know that all garden plants were 50% off. Our attention was drawn to it and then we continued on our way. After nearly 20 miles, I asked why we were going through a particular town and not the other town that we usually travel through? Oh dear! The 50% off sign distracted so much that we did not take the right road! Instead, we took the wrong road! There was conversation in the car that was distracting—so the wrong road happened twice! Now we used our GPS app and found a new and different road that would take us to our destination. But in my distraction of choosing a different way to go, I neglected to notice that GPS was alerting us that there might be flooded road closures on our new way due to high water from the recent heavy rains we have had. Back to GPS for another and another new way to get to our destination. This was only slightly longer, a road we had not seen before, one with lots of curves and interesting things to see. We enjoyed our distracted mistake. It was a beautiful way to go to our destination. Eventually, our new road led us back to roads that we were familiar with. While we always had confidence in arriving at where we wanted to be, still we had questions about whether we would be able to arrive on time to meet our appointments. Will we be late? How much time have we lost during our need to turn around and find other ways to go? When we came to a road that was familiar to us, we no longer felt that we needed the GPS, we were sure that we no longer needed help to arrive at our destination on time and at the place we desired to be. We had been on that road before. We recognized the road numbers; we recognized the landmarks. We had been there and were very confident in ourselves and our abilities. As we traveled along, we realized that we would need gas for our car to continue the trip. As older senior citizens, our way of life often includes walkers and wheelchairs and canes and walking sticks. When my husband went to put gas in our car, he used a cane to assist him moving around the car and the gas pumps. Pay at the pump is handy—no need to walk into the store. So, after filling and paying, he got back into the car and we continued on our way. Eventually we arrived at our destination. It was only then that he realized he had been distracted at the pump and failed to retrieve his cane where he had put it while pumping the gas. More distractions, more failure to do what we wanted to do at the proper time.
The word distraction affects me in so many ways that aren't how I want to live day to day. There are definitely times when we have to apply the word distraction to our daily life. Are you like me—I start to pray and then suddenly, I am not praying but instead I am thinking about something totally not what I was praying for. I start to read the Bible and my mind wanders onto another subject, and I have no idea what I was reading about. Some word made me think about another idea. Then next thing I know, my reading time turned into thinking time! Distracted! I saw a "50% off" sign! It made me follow another train of thought and I was off in another direction from where I wanted to be. My wrong road led me away from my time with God! I start to start a project and then I see something that needs to be taken care of and off I go to take care of that problem, totally distracted from the project! I have to admit to several unfinished projects because of getting distracted. My hope is that God can forgive my distractions.
Perhaps it would have been better if we did not think that we knew better how to make our way. It reminds me that most of the time, I do not know better! I need the guidance, the GPS messages from God, to tell me the way to go, to know where to turn, to keep me on the right road and not get off because of a distraction. I need to be paying attention, constantly. I need to be able to know when I have gotten off track and am not in the right place, that I should be somewhere different that is on the right road—to heaven. The other place is on the way to anywhere but heaven. And I absolutely do not want to be on the road that doesn't lead to heaven. Sometimes when we get off track by our distractions, it will take us longer with wasted time to get back on the right roads that lead to our ultimate destination. When we need to take longer, we might be too late then for what God had planned for us. It might make us too late for the chance to get to our heavenly, God given appointments on time. If we allow ourselves to become distracted and forget to keep track of important matters—such as the need for a walking cane—then we leave some matters behind. The question then is what do we spiritually leave behind that we will later need? I think that this is a question that I need to spend some time considering.
Do you ever allow your thoughts to get in your own way, distract you, or slow down your ability to accomplish something?
Imagine just how far and fast we could go if only we did what is found in Psalm 119:15—“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”
Determining to fix my attention on the ways of God—will protect me from distracting perceptions that stress me or keep me from completing my God given assignments. More importantly, managing my thoughts will anchor me in the truth about who I am, who I belong to, and what I'm capable of.
We each complete our own race to the destination. No one can compete with the plans God has for you, so there’s no need to worry about what’s taking place in other lanes or along the way. Focus your attention on God instead of what’s taking place in the lanes around you. Only then can you remain relaxed and ready to respond to God’s starting signals for you. Pay attention to the "voice" that tells you where and when to go.
“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Psalm 119:15 (ESV)
Isaiah 55:7-8, “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.” (NIV)
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in Your way. Ps 119:37 (NKJV)
Think about this story—a neighbor in my neighborhood is playing music. Loudly. It’s distracting. I keep trying to concentrate on writing and studying, but the obnoxious songs keep bursting through my walls and windows. My mind is fighting to focus. It’s like that sometimes.
About a year ago, I was facing another kind of surgery—knee repair. Preliminary to the surgery, I was scheduled for an MRI. Often the technicians offer different kinds of music to listen to during the lengthy procedure. The music is supposed to distract from the loudness of the machine. I chose to listen to classical religious music. It seemed that it would be a distraction that I could tolerate. But when the procedure started and the music came on, it was not classical religious! I was distracted but not in a good way. I wanted to press the emergency button and tell them that I did not appreciate what I was hearing. I decided to tolerate it but it seemed to be never ending bad bad music and I did not appreciate it at all! At the end, I received a sort of apology but it did not change the fact that I had been forced to listen to over half an hour of the music of an artist I would never ever choose to listen to. The only good thing was that my music distraction kept me from thinking about the procedure. So, I guess it did accomplish what it was supposed to do!
Distractions are everywhere, tugging on my arms, filling my eyes, and ringing in my ears… trying to lure my heart and focus me down little alleyways that are not helping my journey. Image, material possessions, wealth, influence, positions of power, reputation, desires, lusts, greed, noise, busyness… all distractions for me and perhaps for you. Many of these aren’t bad in and of themselves, but when we compromise who we are to try and attain them, they become harmful distractions.
‘Busy' is a HUGE modern-day distraction. I believe in hard work, setting goals, dreaming big and activating plans. Busyness doesn’t make you important. It can make you tired and sick if you’re chasing the wrong things. Quotes from a couple of famous people--Socrates said “Beware the barrenness of a busy life…” And Dolly Parton said, “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” Don't be distracted by busyness!
Fame, money, fortune, influence… these are things that we're tempted to think of equal significance. While some people will experience these, it doesn’t make them more important than anyone else. What is truly fulfilling is following the path God has for us. Don’t get distracted by what ssomeone else is doing, or by what he said, or by what they have or do—their music! Instead, put your life in the way of Christ.
The Message Bible Psalm 119:37 reads “Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way.” The journey of faith, the road of His word and ways—Don't get distracted! Many things will cross your path. Some will enhance and invigorate your journey, others bring destruction and pain… Through it all, keep your eyes focused on God. Don’t get distracted, steady your mind and heart and enjoy this beautiful life you've been given. No matter what blessing or heartache has overwhelmed you, God will lead you through, healing and refining you step by step.
Ps 119:1 & 4 “You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God… Oh, that my steps might be steady…”
Dear God, forgive me for allowing my thoughts to distract me. Thank You for Your presence and loving guidance. Help me to keep my attention focused on You, modeling Your thoughts and ways as I navigate life’s journey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I will pay attention!