Recently, I went on a retreat where I was given words of real encouragement. One sense that resonated with me was to measure my steps: to mark my time and use it wisely.
AKA I’ve been encouraged to avoid distractions and instead, do what I’m called to do…
So, what sorts of activities are distractions? And do all distractions need to be avoided?
Distractions
Good distractions are: physical exercise and outdoor time. There is no replacement for a walk in the woods, or a jog along the riverside. Getting fresh air and daylight are vital for physical and emotional well-being. Fresh air and exercise are good distractions.
Unless you are called to lead in worship, worship can be a healthy distraction from our work. It refreshes the mind so that we can hear the Lord’s direction more clearly, and it is calming and invigoration at the same time. This is a good “distraction” from our tasks, and may even be carried out simultaneously, depending on what those “tasks” are.
Bad distractions are: Dithering and diversion on the internet, casual engagement in social media — aka excessive delving into the internet can be “entertainment as a means of avoidance”. This can be a meaningless, target-less use of (or waste of) our time, which is precious.
Distractions from What?!
Our work: our gainful employment requires a huge chunk of of time and energy.
Our free time: our life embodies the “task” of relationship-building such as with our family, with the Lord, and with the people of GOD, who are our family in the Lord.
Prayer, Intercession, Supplication: aren’t we all called to pray? This takes a dedicated amount of our time.
We are simply called to “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Worship: isn’t singing, it is expressing our passion for GOD. We are called to worship… How often do we worship and for how long? It’s easy in church meetings. For most of us, it is less easy to focus our time on worship when we’re on our own.
Psalm 63:3 sets a tone: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.”
Meaningful Fellowship: building our relationships takes time, focus and energy. It is a commitment, not just for friends but also for our family, both blood family and our bros and sisters in Christ.
Fulfilling our Calling: The tasks and assignments GOD has given us are certain. It might comprise a lot of our time, it might be a little, but GOD does give all of us a purpose and as “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20) we need to develop the habit to devote time to fulfil our God-given purpose. It is reasonable to assume we all have a job to do in Christ.
If you don’t know what your calling is yet, perhaps it’s time to pursue it. It took me a eighteen months of concerted research and prayer to discover, “I am a Watchman!” (Ezekiel 3:17)
GOD has a Calling for each of us.
Do we know where our home is and our calling? Where is our place, our family, our job, the activities and lifestyle that is the perfect fit for us? Let distractions not steal these from us.