As I was teaching a group of children in Sunday school, I noticed one of them looking sad and withdrawn. I asked what was wrong, and before she could answer, another child explained that she had misplaced her lip balm. Immediately, that same child started helping her look for it.
When they found it, I gently told her, “You don’t have to lose your joy or miss the moment just because something is missing.”
Right there, it struck me, I do this too!
Whaaat?!
Whenever I have a need, or searching for something, I become distracted and disconnected from the moment. I miss what my Teacher (God) is trying to show me because my eyes are glued to my need.
Many of us are like that. We get so distracted by the missing piece of the puzzle that we miss what God wants to teach us in the process and ultimately disrupt our becoming.
There is a version of us we must become (spiritually, mentally, and physically).
to fully occupy our purpose.
What is distraction?
Merriam-Webster defines it as “an object that directs one’s attention away from something else.”
In our case as believers, the “something else” is PURPOSE!
Distraction is the enemy’s subtle tool to stop us from gaining traction toward purpose. In simple terms, the devil wants to distract us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives. His agenda is clear: to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus came so we can have life in abundance.
And beyond social media, there are deeper, more subtle distractions that the enemy sets before believers; he simply takes advantage of what we call NEEDS!
Even though our needs are meant to be tools for developing faith in God and building a more vibrant relationship with the lover of our soul, the devil turns them into a weapon of distraction.
These distractions steal our time, drain our joy, and delay our becoming. Ultimately, they attempt to rob God of the glory our lives are meant to bring.
But here’s the good news:
God has given us wisdom to overcome every carefully crafted distraction.
How do we combat distraction?
- Be purpose-driven
Life will always come with challenges. As we enforce our victory in Christ, we cannot wait for everything to be perfect before serving God’s purpose.
What you desire will surely come, but you may no longer have the time and opportunity to
reach that soul, write that song, help that brother, or minister to that sister…
- Pray for strength and grace to stay faithful to God in your waiting season.
We must intentionally seek God for His strength, because the scriptures says those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength!
A Perfect Example: Abraham
Even though Abraham had a promise, he still needed patience. He could have been so fixated on the promise that he forgot to walk with God.
But God said to him, “Walk before Me faithfully.” (Genesis 17)
While waiting, Abraham was becoming:
- He learned obedience.
- He learned intercession.
- He circumcised all the males in his household as God instructed.
- In Genesis 18, he welcomed strangers and interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah.
- And in Genesis 21, God fulfilled His promise—Sarah conceived and bore a son at the appointed time.
Abraham didn’t waste his waiting; he walked with God.
In Conclusion
God wants you to fulfill your divine destiny regardless of the circumstances.
We must fight distractions like someone fighting for their life. Because truly, purpose is life.
As the year runs out, ask yourself:
Have I been yielding to the Lord, or have my challenges been hindering me?
The devil wants to steal your time, kill your purpose, and destroy your soul.
But JESUS came so you may LIVE abundantly.
While you wait, don’t waste.
Be more strategic than the devil.
Give God glory with your process of becoming.
“For our light affliction is but for a moment and is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
Rise above the distraction!
Eventually, you will find what you’re looking for the job, the spouse, the child, the financial breakthrough. But don’t lose the moment. Don’t let the enemy steal your joy, your time, or your becoming.
So this month, how about we drop the distractions and focus on walking with God toward our becoming?
The joy of the Lord is our strength. Amen