Distraction

Proverbs 4:25

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.

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It is easy to feel stuck in between what was and what is to come. It may feel like you have been in this spot for a long time, not moving forward. Most days you are fine with where you are. But when you stop and focus on where you are at, how far you think you must go and put a label on it, then it becomes a problem. These are the days your mind leads with troubled thoughts, thoughts that make you feel like you have lost control.

The mind can be tricky. It likes to find distractions. What are your distractions? Do you have a list of distractions you cycle through monthly? Food? Shopping? TV? Doubt? Judgement? The distraction could start with a thought that leads to a feeling of lack. So, you look for quick relief. You reach for the cookie, the tenth cup of coffee or the television and you avoid the thought that popped in your head. You don’t want to look at that thought. You don’t want to acknowledge it. It was a tiny thought. But by ignoring it and trying to distract yourself from it you give it power. You give power to a thought that may not even be true. It grows into other thoughts and branches off into all areas of your life. Before you know it, you are questioning everything about yourself and the life choices you have made.

What if you acknowledged the thought? Wrote it down, questioned it, and allowed yourself to ponder if it was true or not. What if you observed the thought without judging yourself and letting your thought spiral out of control. It may have been a simple thought that you may not even had heard yourself say. It may be a subtle thought and it became a beast. You may have to look back and figure out what was the first thought that started the spiral of negative thoughts?

Don’t underestimate the power of one thought. It takes only one thought to start feeling bad about yourself. The enemy wants nothing more than to help you in this area. He knows when to attack to gain the most ground. He looks for ways in, like when you are not feeling well, your hormones are fluctuating, your teenagers are being teenagers, or an unexpected bill arrives.

The enemy is a distraction and you are easily distracted. The cycle of distraction will continue until you actively question your thoughts. The enemy wants you to think you should have control over the timing of your life. He wants you to question God and His intentions. Lay it all down before God. Face God and lean into God for strength. Share your fears with Him. Ask Him to speak truth to your heart and provide strength. He is there to support you. This doesn’t mean you are passive and He does the heavy lifting. He expects you to do the work.

Prayer

Father God,

Thank you for giving me the strength to question my thoughts that lead me on a journey of distraction. Thank you for making me aware when something is off with me physically and spiritually. Forgive me for believing one negative thought after another and for assuming what others think and for judging their intentions. Help me to guard my heart and mind when I am distracted by sickness, hormone shifts, teenagers, and other life events. Help me to observe my thoughts without judging myself. Give me the strength to recognize and break the cycle of distraction.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

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