"I’m feeling terrible—I couldn’t feel worse! Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember? When I told my story, you responded; train me well in your deep wisdom. Help me understand these things inside and out so I can ponder your miracle-wonders. My sad life’s dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word. Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation. I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner. I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me; God, don’t let me down! I’ll run the course you lay out for me if you’ll just show me how.
33-40 God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. Affirm your promises to me— promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics— but what you say is always so good. See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!" Psalms 119:25-40 with emphasis
I get distracted easily. And this doesn't change when I am spending time with God. I will sit down with my Bible and suddenly remember I have to download the new gif keyboard on my phone, which leads to me downloading other things I don't need, ultimately causing me to reevaluate my life according to the new cooking app I have just purchased.
Do you ever get up in the morning with your coffee and fuzzy socks fully intending to dedicate your morning to God, when you realize you haven't tagged yourself in last weeks Halloween photos...pics or it didn’t happen!
Then you hop in the car planning to make up for your lost Jesus time by playing some Phil Wickham on the way to work. Only, you turn on the radio and Adele's new song has you missing your childhood babysitter's cat, and now you’re on this emotional roller coaster instead of a spiritual high.
Do not be discouraged. Everyone reading this, including myself gets distracted. God knows we get distracted. He made us and understands our human weaknesses. From the beginning we have had trouble tuning out outside voices in order to hear God’s voice (lookin at you Eve). But lucky for us, we get to pray for focus and ask God for exactly what we need. Because Jesus died for our sins, we now have full access to communicate with our maker and ask for help when we need it. When we get side tracked on a path with cooking apps and Adele’s angelic voice, we can shout out to God “Hello…Can you hear me?” And He will take us by the hand and guide us back to our intended path. He will barricade the road that goes nowwhere.
Our job is to walk where he leads us. When we ask God for focus, we always have the option to ignore Him and continue to allow the world to distract us. God will not force us into focus. We have free will. So when we pray for God to focus our hearts it is our job to allow our hearts to be focused. We must give our entire attention: eyes, ears, and lips, to God so He can work within us.
I encourage you to focus your hearts this week in a new way!
If you don’t listen to worship music in the morning maybe turn on some David Crowder and belt it out.
Or start writing your prayers down to internalize your conversation with God in a new way.
Message me in the contact section to let me know how you tune out the world and I will give them a try and post them later in the week to inspire others!
Stay the path.