What's Stealing My Attention - Martin Wiles

Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21 NLT

Getting shoppers sidetracked is a retailer’s dream come true. Who hasn’t had to ask, “What’s stealing my attention?” And not for the better. 

After a long day of sweating in the hot, humid temperatures of a South Carolina August, my wife and I showered and readied ourselves for church. Moving isn’t fun, but we had no choice.

Following church, we stopped by the local Wal-Mart for a few necessities: curtain rods and a gallon of milk. Tired from a day of moving, I said, “Now, we’re just going to get those two things and leave, right?”

“That’s all,” my wife remarked.

As we entered the store, we began walking in the wrong direction: the garden center. “Your mom said they had chair cushions on sale.”

And so our visit went. Although we only came out with four items instead of two, I had to continually keep my wife pointed toward what we came to get. My recliner was calling my name, but the retailer’s reputation for putting things in my wife’s path that attracted her kept sidetracking her.

God did his best to keep the nation of Israel on track. He sent prophets, priests, and judges who kept his ways before them, but they kept getting sidetracked. The pagan nations around them put more attractive things in their path.

I’m not much different than God’s people of old. In fact, I’ve been known to get sidetracked in Wal-Mart myself—just not over the same things my wife does. That’s how the enemy of our souls works. Through experience, he learns what attracts us. He won’t try to sidetrack me with clothes or shoes because he knows they don’t interest me. But he will throw up a few tech gadgets, a new backpack, or a recently released Kindle book.

I had to continue telling my wife not to get sidetracked. “Keep your eyes focused on what we came for,” I reminded her.

I must do the same for myself. If I don’t, Satan will lead me in sinful or unhealthy directions. And like a puppy on a leash, I’ll follow if I’m not clothed in my spiritual armor. By the power of God’s Spirit, we can say no, get what we came to get, and go home.

Don’t get sidetracked by Satan’s attempt to convince you that you need things you don’t.

Father, give me the power to say no to Satan’s attempts to sidetrack me. 

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Out of Focus - Martin Wiles

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Matthew 14:30 NLT

I’ve been known to miss what I focus on—especially when things are out of focus.

I had always hunted deer with dogs and a shotgun. Stand on the side of the road or the edge of the woods and wait for the dogs to run the deer to me, then shoot. Until I moved next to a friend who liked to still hunt. Climb a tree, sit in a stand, and chance that deer might walk where I sat. For this, a rifle worked better.

After purchasing one at a local retail store, I set out for my first adventure. At dusk, a herd of deer walked out of the woods two hundred yards from me. I carefully raised my rife, zeroed in on a buck, and squeezed the trigger. The rifle fired, but the herd stood still. Strange, I thought. After this happened twice, I figured I should check my scope. Sure enough, the rifle shot twenty feet above where I aimed.

For Peter, it wasn’t a rifle. The other disciples and Peter fought a storm in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus suddenly appeared, walking on the water. Peter wanted to try it too, and Jesus gave him permission. He did fine until he noticed the raging waves pounding his ankles. When he focused on them, he sank.

At the end of the day, a faulty scope and rough water are minor compared to other things that can steal our focus from serving God faithfully and loving him unconditionally. Perhaps the major focus stealer is life’s busyness. Work, relationships, hobbies, children, school, homework, and community affairs. None of which are sinful, but all of which can rob us of life’s true joy.

Taking time to ponder our lifestyles can reveal our life’s priorities. The results can be revealing . . . and shocking. When our priorities are out of focus, they steal our focus from the things that should be our priorities.

Step back and look at your priorities. Let God show you what might be out of focus.

Prayer: Father, focus us on the exact plan and purpose You have for us. 

Tweetable: How do you respond when life is out of focus? 

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Staying Focused - Martin Wiles

Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” John 21:21-22 NLT

Although he tries his best, maintaining it tests him.

Focusing is challenging for our oldest grandson. He’s high strung and carries a Type A personality. A combination that opposes his concentration. As I taught him phonics in preparation for his first year at school, he struggled.

Several things had to happen for him to focus. I had to eliminate all distractions. His brother couldn’t be nearby, the television had to be off, other electronics couldn’t be playing, and I had to promise him a reward. The reward involved playing a word game on my computer.

So we established a daily routine. I’d write the new words on paper, he would learn to sound them out and then sound them together, and then he’d write them. As a reward, we’d use a game on the computer that made flashcards, sounds, typing exercises, and matching with the words he’d learned. Knowing this was coming at the end of our session helped him focus on the parts of our session he didn’t particularly care for.

Staying focused isn’t always only a childhood challenge. Peter was an adult, and he had trouble focusing … on what God wanted him to do. He wanted to focus on what Jesus had in mind for John. Jesus in so many words told him to mind his own business. Stay focused. He eventually did, and God used him in miraculous ways as an early leader of the church.

God gifts all of His children and matches our gifts to the unique personalities He implants in us. How He will use my grandson’s, I have no clue, but if my grandson chooses to follow God we’ll find out soon enough. Even those with the same personalities God uses in various ways.

God matches our personality to His plan for us. And He has a plan. He has something in mind for each of us to do. That’s where we should direct our focus. Others may make suggestions—and we may have our own ideas—but finding God’s plan is most important.

When we stay focused on God’s plan for us—as Jesus told Peter to do—we’ll experience joy and peace as we never have before. Focusing on what the Creator created us to do always makes life enjoyable.

Discover God’s plan for you, and enjoy life to its fullest.

Prayer: Father, show us Your plan, and help us stay focused on accomplishing it. 

Tweetable: Do you have trouble focusing?

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Distracted by Distractions - Solace from the Psalms - Martin Wiles

For thousands of years, people have found comfort in the Psalms. No matter what emotion you are experiencing or fight you're facing, the psalms have something important to say. For the next little while, Love Lines from God will feature, "Solace from the Psalms." We hope you enjoy. And please share them with a friend. 

Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8 NLT

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

But it hasn’t ours…at least not yet. Only because we have tried to control her distractions.

Emma is a rescue kitty we adopted from the local humane society. Since she still had a great deal of kitten in her, she was easily distracted by things we didn’t want her to be distracted by. A small piece of litter from her box. A tassel dangling from an expensive curtain. A costly piece of glass nestled on a table. Cords on our plantation blinds. The blinds. Cables connected to our electronic devices. When we left her alone for a few hours, we never knew what devilment we would come home to. Controlling her distractions was a full-time job.

David asked God to guard him as he would his own eyes. An honorable request since he was drawn toward distractions as well.

I know the feeling too. I’m often distracted by distractions. And not all of them are sinful, but left unchecked they can steal my attention from God, family, work, friends, and important details in life. Those who are too easily distracted are sometimes diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), but when there are spiritual elements involved I call it SADD (Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder).

Time in God’s Word helps me focus. Here I find general principles to apply to my specific distractions. Through regular prayer moments, God impresses upon me the direction He wants me to travel. And by hanging around other believers, I discover I’m not the only one distracted. They encourage me to focus, and we learn from each other’s mistakes.

So when you’re distracted by too many distractions, let God re-focus you on what’s important.

Join the conversation. Tell us one way you deal with distractions. 

Tweetable: Are distractions distracting you? 

Prayer: Merciful God, when we’re distracted by things that are less than Your best for us, draw us back to the most important aspects of life.  

   

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Throwback Tuesday - Misplaced Focus - Martin Wiles

Misplaced Focus 

Some days no matter how much I squint and rub, they just won’t focus. 

I’ve been wearing glasses since I was elementary age. My eyes have grown progressively worse and didn’t stabilize until I reached my 40’s. They are still changing slightly, but for the most part, they are what they are. But some days the blurriness rushes in. No doubt because I’ve looked at the computer screen too long, graded too many papers, or didn’t get enough sleep. My focus isn’t always what I wish it was. Read more...

Tweetable: Where is your focus?

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Flashback Friday - Distracted by Distractions - Martin Wiles

Distracted by Distractions

“Curiosity killed the cat.” It hasn’t ours . . . at least not yet, but only because we try to control her distractions.

Emma is a rescue kitty we adopted from the local humane society. Since she still has a great deal of kitten in her, she’s easily distracted by things we don’t want her to be distracted by. A small piece of litter from her box. A tassel dangling from an expensive curtain. A costly piece of glass nestled on a table. Cords on our plantation blinds. The blinds. Cables connected to our electronic devices. When we leave her alone for a few hours, we never know what devilment we’ll come home to. Controlling her distractions is a full-time job. Read more...

Looking for a wide selection of genres in inspirational books at discount prices? Click here to see selections.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who are "sharing" our posts--please keep it up! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Help us spread God's encouragement through his love lines.