Where do your distractions come from?
Is it a friend or family member who calls first thing every day to say hello? Is your day interrupted with health issues—yours or someone’s close to you? Does the commotion around you disrupt the concentration you need to accomplish what you set out to do?
What is it that keeps you from getting done what you need to get done?
I recently attended the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference in beautiful North Carolina. It was the largest writing conference I have ever attended.
Each morning, worship and key note addresses brought us into the presence of God and sent us off with a renewed spirit and refreshed enthusiasm. Excellent sessions throughout the day promised valuable take-aways from notable instructors. More worship and key notes brought each day to a reflective close, at least for those of us who strolled off to our rooms afterwards to rest in preparation for the next day.
Filled with clarity, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas, I’m always eager to apply what I’ve learned.
When I get home from any conference, though, there seems to be a lull in my writing. There are things to catch up on, like housework and bills, family and general life stuff. This year, the last morning of the conference, my husband Ed called around 6:30 AM to tell me about a health issue that had awakened him four hours earlier. He had called a co-worker to drive him to the emergency room. That was the start of my day. I didn’t have much choice but to follow my plan … I prayed, had breakfast, and headed to the airport.
Ed spent several hours in the emergency room, then was released in time to pick me up at the airport. Our original plan for the evening was to attend a combination birthday party for his boss and going away party for a co-worker. We didn’t make it to the party.
Memorial weekend flew by. I spent most of my time relaxing with Ed and reviewing notes from the conference.
Following the long weekend were the last four days of my son Jesse’s sophomore year of high school and, during exam week, they only attend in the mornings. Half days always limit my writing time because I transport him to and from school, an hour round trip. It sidetracks my schedule.
On Mondays, I typically meet with my writing partner, Heather. Usually, we begin by catching up and praying for one another. Three weeks had passed since we last met so there was a lot of catching up to do. And we both had a lot going on. So, we chatted and prayed, then began to write.
At least writing was the plan. I sat there thinking, What do I write about today? Between Ed’s health issues, my mother-on-law’s fall the day before, and Jesse’s getting out of school, I was a bit distracted.
Oh, and might I mention that Jesse was going for his driving test later in the week–a mom’s dream and nightmare wrapped tightly together.
Distractions!
Yet, God called me to write. He also called me to obedience, even in my distractions. Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. (Psalm 128:1 NIV) So, in obedience, I write, using the gifts God gave me to glorify His name and, hopefully, encourage and motivate you, my reader, to step up in obedience to what God has called you to do.
As Heather and I closed up our writing time, she shared a text that a friend sent her:
Press in to the Lord and protect the deposit He has entrusted to you.
Whenever we feel distracted, “… let us throw off everything that hinders … And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith … so that [we] will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV-text in brackets is mine)
What is God calling you to do?
Don’t let distractions keep you from the charge God has for you.