Do you realize that
when your life
is being lived
in alignment
with how your priorities
are supposed to be
that all your needs are met?
Are you finding yourself distracted from the main thing? One of Satan’s more cunning weapons is distraction. He knows that if we become sidetracked by the cares of the world, that more than likely, we will begin to neglect our time with God.
I remember back when I was an international program manager working on the mobile team and what happened to me when I got distracted from letting the main thing be the main thing. When I got to the point where I realized my priorities had gotten out of whack when my diabetes was out of control. I remember having to stop and regroup what I had been doing in every area of my life so that I could get thing back into alignment with God’s plans and with how my priorities were supposed to be. I found myself micromanaging at work – causing my work days to encroach on my sleep causing 4 hours of rest per night. I found my volunteer time between the community involvement in the home owners association and church were encroaching on my marriage and family time. So I took a reset and reviewed my priorities. I can remember reading the book “First Things First” and reflecting on verses like Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you”. I wrote out my priorities in the order they should be (obviously not in the order they were being lived) – (1) God, (2) Wife/Marriage, (3) Family/Kids, (4) Work/Serving. With this new prioritization, I went to get back in alignment with God’s plan. At work I stopped micromanaging with the thought that the company hires smart people and as such when I delegated the work, I went the step farther and also delegated the responsibility (the funny thing is, that was how it always was, just not in my head and hands – so I went from clenched fist to open palm). Next to ensure my time was set properly I worked on setting up the HOA for success prior to stepping down from the board. With these two pieces in place, I was able to start living my life in alignment with the priorities in place – spending the time and effort with God to build and ensure that relationship was top priority. I next make sure we have time set for my wife and I and then my daughter and I. With my time set and booked in this area, it was amazing to watch God work in and through my life to multiply my efforts and time and rewards for His glory. My success increased because I was focusing on Him and His priorities. My life was in alignment with God’s plan and everything else fell into place. Praise God for who He is and what He has done in and through my life.
To keep us faithful and in close fellowship and communion with God, sometime God will want us to remove the distractions that are separating us from Him, even though it might hurt, it might have been a good idea, it might have been good for others. The thing is that Satan is sneaky and he can make you do or want to do things because they are “good”, but they end up taking you away from what God plans or intends in your life. For example, you want to do well at work, you want to be a good provider at home, you want people to like you, but God doesn’t want those things to take a higher priority than your relationship with Him and His plans for your life. Any situation or desire in your life that keeps you from being led by the Holy Spirit or living for God is an unhealthy distraction that’s not good for us.
“God wants us to be moved by His Spirit, not by distractions. So today, set aside all of the distractions of life and purposely focus on God. When you seek God first with your whole heart, you will find Him. He’s always there waiting for you.”
(notes from today’s devotional)
Removing Distractions
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
Prayer Starter: (from today’s devotional)
Lord, I ask You to help me remove all of the distractions in my life, even if it hurts. Help me to seek You above all else and be led by the Holy Spirit in my daily life. I want to live for You!
Heavenly Father,
I thank You Lord for this new day and for all that will be in it. I praise You Lord that You always speak life and love, truth and hope, direction and correction into my life as I seek after You to start my day. Lord, help me to make the time as I do each morning to spend with You for my wife and my children. Help me to make them a priority as I have made You a priority. Lord, draw me back to the place where I consider Your plans and Your priorities for each day, each week, each month, each year so that I am able to be a faithful servant and steward of the incredible gift of a wife and children in my life. Lord, You know the plans You have for me and so I lift them up to You and ask for Your guidance and wisdom. Help me Lord to be the person of God You have called me to be so that Lord I may stand before You and get to hear You speak to me, well done my good and faithful servant. And may this day bring You all the praise, the honor, and the glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Fearful to Fearless
The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13 (NLT)
Biblical Truth:
Just as a father provides comfort and forgiveness to a child, so the Lord has love and compassion for those that worship Him.
