Deceived by Distractions

Do you find yourself regularly putting off items you have determined are important in your life because more pressing items keep taking up your time? Does it seem like no matter how hard you try to make certain things a priority they never seem to get done? Have you ever considered why this happens in your life?

In Ephesians 6, we are told we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but that our fight is with rulers of the unseen world and spiritual forces of the heavenly realms. It is so easy to forget about the spiritual battles that surround us because we can’t see them. If we are going to be successful in winning the battles we face each day, however, we need to make sure we are on the right battlefield. The more we allow ourselves to focus on the battles we can see, the easier we make it for our enemies to win the battles we can’t see.

I was reminded of this in my own life just this past week. I became aware of a situation where I believe I am being cheated by a person whom I put a great deal of trust in. Over the course of the week, there were multiple times I became focused on this situation. Eventually, I noticed it was distracting me from the work I was supposed to be doing. The more I continued to think about it, the more it started to eat away at me.

In my time with God yesterday morning, it became clear to me what was happening. The enemy was using this situation in my life to distract me. The more he can get me to think about it, the more he can keep my focus from the things that are truly important in my life. The situation where I am being cheated is a temporary situation and has no eternal implications. In contrast, there are multiple, significant items right now which have a great deal of eternal significance in my life. The enemy was using this temporary situation as a distraction to divert my focus from what really matters.

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul tells Timothy we are soldiers for Christ and then warns him that “soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.” (2 Timothy 2:4 NLT) I am convinced one of Satan’s greatest strategies is to get us so distracted with our daily lives that we forget about or don’t have time to focus on those things that are eternal. Think about your own life. What are some things in your life which continue to divert your attention from things that are eternal?

A question I often ask myself is “If I were Satan, what would I do right now, in my life, to defeat me?” Satan already knows he has the lost the battle for my soul, but he will continue to do whatever he can to minimize the impact I have for the kingdom of God. In answering the question, I determined distracting me with things that have no eternal implications is a great way to minimize the impact of my life. How about you? Take some time and answer that question for yourself.

So how do we keep ourselves from being distracted by our enemies? Here are some of the things I have found that help me in my life. The most significant thing I have done is to memorize and regularly mediate on scripture. Psalms 37:31 says “The Law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.” I am convinced the more of God’s Word I have hidden in my heart, the quicker I can recognize the distractions in my life.

Another significant item which has helped me is the habit of spending time reading and meditating on the Bible each day. It is so easy to get caught up in our daily lives, but by taking time each morning to spend time with God reading his word, it gives the Holy Spirit an opportunity to open your eyes to areas of your life where you are being distracted.

We must remember our time here on earth is limited. Each day we allow ourselves to be distracted from living for things that are eternal is one less day we can store up eternal treasure. Don’t get to the end of your life and look back with regret because you allowed yourself to be distracted from what really matters. Remember you are involved spiritual battles every day and one your enemy’s greatest weapons in distraction. Equip yourself with the weapons God has given you to win those battles and keep from being distracted.