dis-trac-tion
[di-strak-shuh n]
-noun
1. the act of distracting.
2. the state of being distracted.
3. that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration.
4. that which amuses, entertains, or diverts.
5. division or disorder.
Distractions. We all have …sorry, the phone rang. We all have…oops, had to return a text. We all have…man, I’m hungry, wonder what’s for lunch? As I was saying, we all have them and allow them to intersect our daily lives in different degrees.
As Christians, our task is to be effective agents of spiritual transformation in people’s lives, whatever that may cost in time, comfort, or image. Yet we have to realize that if the enormous number of Christians in this country has not achieved the level of positive influence hoped for, it’s not the fault of a skeptical culture.
So here’s the question for the day:
We invite you to share a comment.
Distractions…
there are so many excuses people give for not giving themselves fully to God. Too busy, not enough money, no vacation time to serve, family, kids, work, sports, school, etc… and the list goes ON and ON and ON.
You want to know what I think is the underlying distraction to beat ALL of those?
FEAR.
Its what keeps us from
FULLY Trusting,
FULLY Living,
FULLY Giving,
FULLY Serving,
FULLY Acting on what the Holy Spirit is telling us to do.
I have a feeling that we are AFRAID of what Jesus might
Ask us to do
Ask us to be
Ask us to give up
Ask us to give away
I have a feeling that we are AFRAID of what Jesus might
accomplish through us
accomplish in us
accomplish for us
I have a feeling that we are AFRAID of how Jesus might CHANGE US!
Lets address the real issue– the underlying cause of all our distractions and put the excuses aside. Lets CONFESS our FEAR! I will be the FIRST to confess to you, that I AM AFRAID! I am afraid of many, many things. My biggest fear is that Jesus might actually do what he promised– CHANGE ME! I am afraid I might not recognize myself when he does, and maybe, just maybe, I might not be ‘me’ anymore. How SILLY is that?! The GOD who made the universe, who knit me together, who knows my sitting and standing, who has the very hairs on my head numbered, who calls me by name, who cares for me better and loves me more than all of creation, who gave up his ONLY son for ME… He created me with himself in mind, he created me in his image, for others to see HIM in me. He gave me a mind to think, to create, to love, to give and serve and LIVE…. so how is is that I think that I am really LIVING when all I am really doing is surviving.
Jesus says to us in John 10:10 (msg)
“A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
Romans 8:15 (NIV)
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Aramaic for Father Father.”
OR, I love how the Message says it:
“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” “
I want ADVENTURE!!! I want to LIVE with that kind of EXPECTANT FAITH… that the GOD who made the universe, also made my heart unique, yet completely in HIS image– and HE has not given me a spirit of FEAR– I want to live without fear, Love without holding back, and to Give like my pockets have no bottom. What about you? Want to join me?
Amazing that when we begin to think about what “distracts” us from serving God fully – how petty the reasons become. It is so easy to always find a situation, a person, or something outside of our control to blame for not giving our 100% to God. In reality it comes down to truly understanding what it means to believe and serve God as our LORD and not just have him in our hip pocket for “fire insurance.” Distractions…many they come…who is in charge of my thoughts, actions and day…LORD God I give my life, my day and my minute by minute to YOU!
Check out this web site on YouTube, it will make you think.