Avoid distractions

You need a distraction-free life. A life riddled with distractions is a life doomed for disaster. In 2019 over 3,100 people were killed, and distracted drivers in the United States injured about 424,000 people. We are living in an age of distraction. A distraction is anything that takes your attention from where you want it to be. The Bible says, "... do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible" (1 Corinthians 7:36, NLT.) Two reasons you need to eliminate distractions in your life are presence and purpose.

My family and I took a whale watching and dolphin tour in the pacific ocean. For an hour and a half, the pilot took 50 or so of our newest friends and us to search for sea life along the golden coast of California. Finally, we found a pod of what seemed to be more than 100 dolphins. They swam around our boat and jumped out of the water, and several were catching waves off of the bow. They looked like they were having a great time. We were amazed at their beauty.

There was this one guy with his daughter. She was maybe 8 or 9 years old. Most of the time, while the dolphins were swimming around us, he looked at his phone. He was texting, editing photos, scrolling social media, or creating world peace. Whatever he was doing was more important than what was happening in real-time. He seemed to be distracted and was missing the moment.

The reason why many are missing the life God has for them is because they are distracted. That venture of faith you've been impressed to take on will never happen if you are distracted. The marriage and family you want to build will be a wish and a desire if distractions drive you. Distractions can blind you to the present and the need for your presence.

Distractions also steal from your purpose. The passage advocates giving your best self to a faith-filled act of obedience. To give yourself a great purpose in life that only you can contribute. Chasing every possibility that comes your way will steal from the purpose of giving your best to the Lord. Give yourself to God's purposes by eliminating distractions.