Without Distraction

And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction. (1Corinthians 7v35)

I have realised that there is something that many people like to say and is often used as an excuse. Many people say the words ”I am busy.“ This is a phrase that is used almost everyday everywhere and it always varies whether or not it is true when they say so. I have again realised that the laziest and most unproductive people in the society use those words, usually as an excuse.

… there is much much more … Grace enough to see us switching off the cellphone and the television during Bible study; grace enough to see us locking the door and deciding to fellowship with God without distractions

The problem however is that this phrase has penetrated into the Church and many Christians use it at the expense of developing a powerful personal devotional life with God. God fails to get proper attention because His children are ”busy.“ There are many things that keep Christians busy and they mostly fall under the category of material things: wealth, addictions, social networks etc. People spend an average of 3hours on social networks per day, 5hours on television, 2hours with friends and family, 8hours on sleep, 1 and a half on eating and the rest doing something else. You see already that there is little time for God and the excuse is always the same, ” I am busy“

Jesus said something remarkable, He said that the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy (John10:10). I don’t know if you will agree with me that He was talking about the devil, the thief. The devil is out there and is there to steal and one of the things he steals is our precious time that we must spend with God. The devil orchestrates events and fits them into our time table so that we may always be Church-seeking Christians who do not seek God on a personal basis. Have you ever noticed how something always comes up when you are about to pray or to read your Bible? It can be a phone call, a visitor, a television programme, drowsiness or sleep and all things that may always keep us away from worshipping God. The devil knows that if we have devotional lives he will be disadvantaged, that is why he keeps us away from fellowship.

There are habits and characters that steal our time. They may be small in nature but their effects are simply too visible even to the naked eye. Solomon said it is the little foxes that spoil the vines (Songs of Solomon 2:15). He says the vines not the grape, the vines are the fields. Small things cause much of a difference in our lives and this may include stealing our time of fellowship with God. 

One fact is that doing the things of God may seem boring at first, but as time goes on  and revelation increases, you will begin to realise that it’s the best thing anyone can do. Be very careful of the small habits that spoil your Christian life. The habits are not necessarily sinful, but they are time consuming. Let us understand ladies and gentlemen that the devil is after everyone who decides to be a Christian. The day you ask Jesus to come into your heart you set the devil in motion do bombard your life. You cannot pray your way out of it because Jesus said that those who desire to live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution, and in another account Peter says our adversary walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. So you see how the devil is after us, and the best thing he can do is keep us busy and away from God. 

I have come to let you know that there is a way out. Jesus says I am the way (John 14v6). Paul gave us a stern warning in our opening scripture saying that we may attend upon the Lord without distraction. (1Corinthians 7v35) a distraction is a disturbance, or anything that poses itself in place of Christ. You know, the Bible says we should cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing it down to the obedience of Christ (2Corinthians 10v5). There are things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and these include habits. Notice the Bible calls them ”every HIGH THING.“ meaning to say that he acknowledges that it is a high thing. It is not necessarily high in stature but high in effect. 

If you look very closely you will realise that most of the times we abscond prayer or Church saying we are busy, we will not actually be busy but just occupied. People don’t go to Church saying we are busy we have an exam tomorrow, but most of that time they will not be studying but watching TV, chatting with friends or sleeping. The willpower to do good is always there but the action is not usually taken. Paul spoke about it saying ”For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.“  (Holman Christian Standard Bible ©2009) If you agree with me we have a strong desire to be disciplined, to have a good devotional life, to keep our flesh under, to be in order always, but actually doing so is a problem.

We need to have the desire to change, a sincere and heartfelt desire to change. That in itself is a raw material that God can work on to help us grow to maturity. Life can be more enjoyable if we serve God without distractions, things that put focus away from us, and things that put us off course. Learn to diligently follow a schedule that prioritises time with God. The Bible tells us that we are never tempted beyond our ability to overcome (1Corinthians 10v13). We have every God-given ability to serve God without distraction. Don’t conclude that God will be angry at you if you fail to avoid and overcome distractions. Distractions are there but there is much much more grace for us to win over them all. Grace enough to see us switching off the cellphone and the television during Bible study; grace enough to see us locking the door and deciding to fellowship with God without distractions. I believe you can get there too. I believe I can get there too. We are not going to struggle with habits and distractions anymore. If we decide to fully let the grace of God enable us to serve God without distractions, we will soar. Just know that it is all about God’s ability not ours. Yield to the spirit of God and let it help you to follow stipulated times and schedules .If you try to do it on your own you will not succeed. Yield to the Holy Spirit and He will enable you to serve God without distractions.

Finally brethren, it is your desire to change that God will work on. Stay blessed and till next time remember that Jesus Is Lord!!!!