Be Attentive with Distractions

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

I’ve been trying a new to me approach of connecting with God. The first part is pausing to practice stillness.

The second part is being attentive. Attentive to what God might be asking of me, revealing about Himself, convicting me of, needing me to pay attention to.

Dictionaries define attentive as being: observant, watchful, listening carefully.

Now, I love moments where I get to sit in quiet with God, however, quieting my mind to listen for God is a challenge. My heart *longs* for stillness, but the spinning wheel in my head doesn’t get the memo.

The other day I was feeling frustrated with how many times I had to redirect my mind. There were a million things I wanted to offer as excuses for the unlimited distractions rolling through my brain. It was really hard to connect with God.

Later, after a not so glamorous morning with the kiddos, I heard Him crystal clear, “On guard!” I sat for a moment, wondering why I hadn’t connected the dots sooner.

There is another I need to be attentive to!

Many of the upsetting things that day could have been avoided, had I been more attentive to my spiritual surroundings and paused to consider the heart of the issues.

1 Peter 5:8 reminds us our enemy is constantly looking to trip us up, in a variety of ways, multiple times a day.

The battle is not always against flesh and blood. Pause to consider:

Do we recognize who the fight/argument is really about? Can we see past the division and fear? Is taking the time to *know* God a priority so we can differentiate truths from lies? How do we remind ourselves to fight with God and not against Him? Are we rebuking the devil’s schemes?

Heavenly Father, In a world with many distractions, including an enemy who aims to separate us from you, help us be ever watchful. May we not be consumed with thoughts of self, but with thoughts of growing closer to and serving You. Jesus, thank you for enduring temptations, so we can be encouraged by Your perseverance and victory. Amen.