Devotional
Distractions and Temptations
Luke 10:40-42 “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to the Lord and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.””
We get distracted almost everyday. We get caught up with just the little things that we do each and every day: school, cleaning, cooking, and trying to look good. In the book of I Samuel, David gets distracted by Bathsheba, a beautiful lady, and gets him into lots of trouble. A Distraction is: a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. So, if our main focus is on God and on the truth that he gives us, then all these things that the world tempt us with are actually taking our eyes away from God and the truth. In James 4:8 it says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” If the world tries to tempt us and distract us, how can we draw closer to God with our relationship? If we’re not coming closer to God, then we are actually drawing away from Him. Then it says in Chronicles 15:2, “The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” If we leave behind the things God has given us and if we leave behind the relationship we have with God, and give it up for the “things” in this world that look pleasing, than God will forsake us.
Many times we use the time that is supposed to be spent on our everyday needs by doing other things that are un-needed and when the time comes for our quiet time with God, all of our jobs and work has not been completed. I do this a lot. It’s called procrastinating. It means to put off doing something. Many times we think, “Oh, I can do that later,” or “I’ll have time.” But do we really have time? God really wants us to use that time for him and do the fun and games later.
Outcry is the Youth Ministry at BridgeWay Church in Denver, CO www.bridgeway.us
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Another example of this is in John 2:12-25. This is when Jesus entered the temple and found men selling cattle, birds, and gambling their money. When he saw this he overturned the tables, set the birds free and drove out the sheep and cattle with a whip. He said to them, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” God is saying to us, “How dare you turn my time with you into a time of work!” This is when we put off the time for God for a time of work and un-needed things.
Not only can these everyday things distract us, also doing work for God. “I have to do this, I have to do that!” Even though we try to serve God by doing “things”, we can actually be distracted with what we do by using them in a wrong way. It’s said that a housewife doing the dishes and praying will have a closer relationship with God than a man who leads armies. A mission trip should be used to serve the community and the people and to see the wonderful things that God does when you use the time to serve and minister. But if we use that time for seeing what needs to be done and this and that, then our main focus is on the “things” we are doing instead of the people who need God’s love.The enemy loves to take our eyes off God and the things that he is doing and we can’t let him distract us. If our relationship with God is important to us, then we cannot let the enemy distract us away from God. Matthew 6:13 says, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” So, we need to ask God for open eyes so that if we get pulled into temptation, we can quickly call on God to help us out and then our focus will be fully on God. This last verse is in Mark 14:38 saying, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Our bodies are not strong enough to stay away from all these distractions, but if we call on God and know that he is always with us, then we will not fall into temptation, and our relationship with God will draw nearer and nearer. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” ~ James 4:8
Scriptures to Pray: James 4:8 and Chronicles 15:2
Today’s Prayer:
Father God, help us draw near to you each and every day. Show us when we are procrasinating and help us to break from the patter of procrasination. Alert us to the temptations coming our way that will take our attention away from you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
By Grace Stailey
Outcry Youth Ministry • BridgeWay Church •8556 E. Warren Avenue • Denver, CO 80231 • 303-695-8400 • jessica@bridgeway.us