Distractions

I don't consider myself someone who is easily distracted.  However, when my cell is buzzing with texts and facebook messages, my dogs are barking, my kids are running through the house screaming and I have an unmade bed in my line of vision, I get distracted.  For a long time this is how I spent my time with God.  I would read a few verses in my Bible, then check my texts.  Read a few more verses, then correct kids.  Pray a few minutes, then instruct kids on what to do next.  And so on.  It was very distracting.  But I thought it was the only way.  I go to bed very late, get up very early and I am busy all day long.  I didn't feel as though I had any more time to sacrifce.  Boy was I wrong!  I wasn't giving God my best.  I was hardly giving Him anything at all.

One morning I pushed myself to get up a few minutes earlier than normal, before the kids were up.  Yes of course, it was very hard...at first.  I like to sleep and I do not like getting up in the morning!  But after only a week of doing this, I found not only was it easier to get up than before, but I loved that time!  If for some reason I missed, my whole day was off.  I come to desire that time with God each and every morning.  Maybe mornings are not best for you.  But you can find a very quiet, secluded room later in the day.  Whatever you best time is, do it without distractions. 
      
What about the buzzing cell?  I have learned to keep that in the other room!  I love my cell and have it on me most of the time.  But when that little screen lights up I always turn to it.  So, for me, the cell can not be around me when I am spending time with God.

A dear friend recently said, "We always have God's undivided attention.  Does He have ours?"  I so love that.  The God of the universe stops and listens to us every time we pray and worship Him.  But do we always stop and listen to Him?  Are we letting things or people distract us from God?  Think of your time with God, what is distracting you?  What can you do to remove the distractions?  When we sacrifice ourselves for God, He will bless us. Take time out of your day,without distractions, and God will give that time back to you.  God is worth far more than a half-hearted quiet time. God deserves our undivided attention!