APR 15-19 | Declaring War on Distractions II
You will never accomplish big goals when you’re distracted by things that don’t matter.
Think of it this way: Your enemy doesn’t need to destroy you if he can distract you. If he distracts you, he can enjoy watching you destroy yourself.
So often, our most important choices in life aren’t between good and bad but between good and best.
A major example of this is social media. The average person spends about 17 hours a week scrolling and tapping. That will amount to more than seven years of your life.
Is social media a bad thing? No. But it’s not always what’s best for you.
So what can we do to avoid distractions? Here are three strategies you can use today:
2 weeks ago: Move The Line, last week: Magnify The Cost
3. MAP OUT YOUR ESCAPE
You must decide in advance how you will get out of a temptation to become distracted.
Let’s say you’re focused on eating healthy. You open the cabinet and see a big bag of M&M’s. What do you do?
Go ahead and eat them. (They are delicious.)
Open the bag, throw all the M&M’s into the air, look up with your eyes closed and mouth open, and assume any M&M’s that fall into your mouth must be God’s will.
Follow your pre-decided escape route.
Option three is the only effective plan.
If I’m vulnerable to eating what I shouldn’t, I need to decide in advance what to do.
I do this by pre-deciding to ask for help. When tempted, my escape route is to call a friend. That person can pray for me and provide accountability by asking later what I did with the M&M’s after I hung up.
If you’re thinking, Really, Craig, all that to just not eat some candy? Yes—because I’m serious about my health, like so many other areas of my life, even for what some may consider no big deal, I have pre-decided an escape. I build up this muscle of pre-deciding in the small things, so it’s strong in the bigger areas of my life.
I’d encourage you to plan out an escape next time you’re tempted to spend time on unimportant things.
Who will you call when you want to play that video game? What’s your plan next time TikTok tempts you?
SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
1 Corinthians 7:35:
"I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord."
In this context, Paul is addressing concerns related to marriage and relationships, but the principle can apply broadly. He's emphasizing the importance of focusing on one's spiritual life and relationship with God without being distracted by worldly concerns. The goal, according to this verse, is to live with undivided devotion to the Lord.
Do you need to …
Turn off certain notifications?
Delete an app?
Put some distance between you and your gossipy friend?
Cancel Netflix?
Limit your time on social media or watching TV?
Turn off your phone when you pray and read the Bible?
Dump your distracting boyfriend or girlfriend?
Whatever it is, it will be hard but worth it because God has a path and a purpose for you.
As you wage war on your distractions, you’ll have to say no to some good things, but you will be saying yes to what’s best.