Question 1

What are some of the dangers in our distractions?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 14:28-31Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”Luke 9:62Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”Distractions take our focus off Jesus. We can be in the middle of doing great things, but if we take our eyes off Jesus for even a moment, we can begin to sink!

Question 2

How can God use distractions?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 3:1-4One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. . . . The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him.Moses was just living an ordinary day doing his ordinary job! God used the burning bush, a definite distraction, to get Moses’ attention because God had a much bigger job he wanted Moses to begin.Acts 9:3-5As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!God sometimes uses distractions to get us to stop thinking about what we think is right and start thinking about what he says is right. Saul (whose name was later changed to Paul) sincerely believed that persecuting Christians was the right thing to do—he thought God was pleased with his actions. God had to get his attention with a dramatic distraction that changed the course of his life (and the lives of many others!). The more stubborn and passionate we are about our opinions, the more dramatic God may have to be to get our attention.

Question 3

How do I deal with distractions?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 19:13-15One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.Mark 10:17As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”Distractions bombarded Jesus all the time. But he didn’t see them all as distractions; he saw some as opportunities to rescue or help someone. When someone needs you, a distraction can become a divine opportunity to show someone the love and care of God. Sometimes God interrupts us for a good reason. Don’t miss the chance to focus on the people God brings to you for help.Acts 16:29-32The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.Most people would look at a jail sentence as a definite distraction to their ability to serve God. Not Paul and Silas! Their location didn’t stop them from their mission. They were doing a great ministry around the world; now it was confined to a small room with a very small audience. God seemed to be just fine with that. Instead of pushing away the distraction, Paul and Silas embraced it! Sometimes a distraction seems as restricting as a jail cell. Maybe God wants you to focus for a while on what and who is right in front of you. Your distraction may be a calling from God to minister to new people in a new place.Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.Hebrews 12:13Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.Some distractions are clearly bad for us; they take our focus off what we should be doing. We need to learn to discern between a distraction that should refocus our attention and one that should not. If a distraction is mainly about us (tempting us to do wrong, shirking a commitment to have fun) then it is probably not a good thing. If a distraction is mainly about others (helping someone in deep need, providing a teachable moment) then it is usually a good thing. If you set clear goals for how you will serve God and manage your day and then follow those goals with focus, you will be less tempted to get sidetracked by harmful distractions.Acts 6:3-4“And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”Stay focused on what you do well, and learn to delegate to others tasks they can do as well as you—or better.Psalm 119:157Many persecute and trouble me, yet I have not swerved from your laws.Daniel 6:13Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”Don’t be distracted, even by good things, if they take you away from what you know you should be doing or what you know is right.Philippians 3:13No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.Don’t let your past drag you down; that can be very distracting. Focus your energies on what God has done for you and what you can do for God and others now and in the future.Psalm 66:9Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord. If we don’t constantly stay focused on God, we let down our guard and make it easier for the world to distract our hearts and minds. We also make it easier for Satan to distract us with sin.Proverbs 4:12When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.Constantly seek wisdom from God, who will help you be discerning between what is a distraction and what is not.