Distracted

It's a Sunday morning and I'm sitting on the couch in my brother's little Chicago apartment. It's been a slow and fairly quiet morning (as quiet as having five people smashed into a teeny tiny apartment can be), after an afternoon and evening of walking downtown yesterday. I've had time to read blog posts and devotionals and Scripture and watch funny videos and scroll Facebook and play Words with Friends. Chill would describe this morning quite well. Chill may or may not have been my goal, even as I planned this spontaneous last minute trip into the Windy City. 

Part of my morning browsing included stumbling across this article. And the conviction I've been experiencing recently became even stronger. (Please take a couple minutes to go read the article; it is so good.)

I am distracted; distracted by the busyness of life; distracted by the chaos; distracted by the pain and trials; distracted by my iPhone; distracted by endless commitments; distracted by a hundred good things. 

But they are distracting from the best thing; the best One. 

In many ways I am learning more and growing more as a Christian than ever before, as God has taken yanked me out of my comfort zone and given me renewed passion to know more about Him and His Word and to serve and disciple others in His name.

But.

But amidst the even fuller schedule that has resulted from that, I've been distracted from spending quiet moments with Him and only Him and His Word. And without those moments, my effectiveness for Him and for His Gospel diminishes into the ground at an incredibly rapid rate. 

If my Savior Himself needed to separate Himself from the people and the ministry to spend time in solitude with His Father, how can I for a moment think I can get by fine without it? (Matthew 14:23) (Mark 1:35)

It comes down to pride, lack of discipline, and too much busyness.

And just being distracted.

Distracted from the most important thing; the most important One.

Friday night I came across sermon notes from several weeks ago. A note I had jotted down from what the pastor had shared went something like this: busyness is the greatest distraction from a vibrant prayer life. (I totally botched it but that's the gist of what he said.)

I don't want to live a distracted life, even if most of those distractions are good. I want to live a life solely focused on Jesus Christ Himself, His Word, and my personal relationship with Him. The rest of life and ministry and relationships must flow from that foundation alone.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)