My wife, Amy, and I have been blessed with three wonderful sons, each of whom have their own distinct personalities.  Our middle son, Jonah, has the most outgoing and carefree personality of the three but also has been gifted the inability to multi-task when the surrounding atmosphere is filled with more than “one thing” to focus on.  This especially shows up in our school morning rat race to get up early, take showers, eat breakfast, brush teeth, fix hair, and getting dressed and out the door on time.  In every room in the house he enters into, there is seemingly always something that draws his attention away from finishing his routine.  As parents, we have to constantly remind him of finishing the current task and the urgency of moving on to the next one on the agenda.  My point is that he is “easily distracted” and loses focus on the main thing.

Life can be that way sometimes.  Something or someone will always distract you when you need desperately to focus on and finish your assignment in God’s school of destiny.  You will be distracted and sometimes it will seem intentional. You really need to complete your task and to get to school on time, but hundreds of distractions are trying to stop you. You have a goal to make, but staying focused on the important thing – the Lord, families, finances, church, school, etc. is tough.

Probably the thing that we are distracted concerning the most is the Lord and the Kingdom. With every room of life filled with scattered toys, televisions full of captivating cartoon programs, and transparent windows displaying the outside, how are we supposed to focus on church and God’s kingdom?

Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and the other things shall be added unto you.”

Nonetheless, to attend the school of life, somehow you must shut out the toys, the cartoons, and all thedistraction.  Life depends on it. Life’s benefits depend upon it.

The New Living Translation unveils the heart of the Apostle Paul by saying, “I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible” in 1 Corinthians 7:35

It is for your own profit and for your benefit that you need to serve the lord with as few distractions as possible. A life without distractions, or serving the Lord without distractions, just is not going to happen. Distractions will come but we can minimize them and focus through them.

My point is, distractions come, and are common to everyone. Some distractions are minor bumps, but some distractions are serious distractions, with the intentions to remove us from our garden of abundant life and destroy us.

The Bible tells us the story about two sisters in Luke chapter 10. One sister’s name was Martha and the other’s name was Mary. Martha opened their house to the Lord and to his disciples. Jesus began teaching and Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening intently. Yet, that was not the case with Martha.

The scripture says in Luke 10:40, But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

I can relate to that.  Can you? Does the Lord care that things are distracting us from Him and His purpose for our lives? We make many preparations for life, but often in making life’s preparations, we miss what is truly important. Sometimes, doing preparations seems like the correct thing to do. But, are they really? Martha wanted the meal to be perfect! She wanted the house to be just right. That sounds like a “right” thing to do for the Lord. But, actually all of that was only a distraction from the “best” thing which was right in front of her.

Here is what Jesus said to Martha. “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it - and I won't take it away from her.”

Jesus specifically told Martha that she was experiencing a distraction. Martha received instruction that many things distracted her.

How about you? What are the many things distracting you? Can you handle it when someone tells you that some “thing” or some person is a distraction to you?  There are many rooms in life filled with good things but are hindering us from walking out the door of our current season into the school of abundant life that God has planned for us to attend “on time”.  If you will not, then it could take you out of your garden of the best life you can experience.  God only wants the best for you!

In Christ,

Pastor Kevin Gurley

KingdomFamilyOutreachCenter

kfoc@farmerstel.com

17057 AL Hwy 75 Building 5C

Henagar, AL 35978