Distracted and Distressed

Distracted and Distressed

God cares about chatting with us about all things, even those that distract us from the most important events in life. We don’t have to handle them alone. Really. He is there.

As I look at the above picture most people are looking down at their cell phones (prime distractor #1). A few are looking ahead. One woman is looking up. I wonder what she is looking at. It seems that our attention can be drawn to many things as humans. We can be as difficult to lead as a flock of sheep. We wander aimlessly at times, overly focused at other times, but often times we don’t know where we are headed. Unfortunately, for some of us, it can be right over the side of a cliff. This is why we need a shepherd.

I was one of those children whose mother would often exude anxiously, “Watch where you’re going!”, and sigh. My mind was on a myriad of exciting possibilities, distractions and dreams. I have since been saved by a myriad of friends and family from walking into traffic, oncoming shopping carts and passerby’s who don’t seem to know how to look out for me. I am eternally grateful for my watchful friends.

God Chat Exercise:

This time as you engage with God about a few things set aside a time that is free from distractions. Turn off your cell phone. Be mindful to put a sign on the door. Set your alarm if you have somewhere to be and don’t want to worry you will miss it.

As always start with at least 2 minutes of deep breathing and quieting. Just notice His presence with you. Notice how your body feels as you exhale the tension.

Remember something you felt grateful for this week, or ask God to bring something to mind:

God I’m so grateful for………………

Listen for His response and write it down without filtering. (Refer to the filter checks if you need to after the exercise)

Ask God, What is most distracting to me right now as I sit here with you? (Or what has been distracting this week?) What do you have to say about this? Ask Him if he has a principle, a story or a scripture He wants to remind you about. Write it down.

When you are distracted or distressed, notice how you feel. Close your eyes and tell God how you feel out loud. God when i’m distracted, I feel…… Focus on where you feel it in your body. Tell Him what you want to do, or tend to do when you are distracted.

Ask God what He has for you instead to replace those feelings and actions of distress and distraction.

Reflect on the following verse and notice what stands out-what the Lord is trying to say to you through this verse. End your time in gratitude and praise. Write your gratitude below:

Isaiah 51: 3-4 Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion;He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden,And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in her,Thanksgiving and sound of a melody. 4 “Pay attention to Me, O My people,And give ear to Me, O My nation;

 New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Is 51:3–4). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

God I’m thankful for……….

My take away for this week is………

During the recent Corona Virus that hit the planet and all the quarantine that came along with it in March - May of 2020, I realized that we are a very distracted people. It took a pandemic to get us to quiet a bit, focus more on our families, our immortality and what is really important in the long run. Could it be that God put out a wake up call out to us- “Hello my beloved. I want to chat with you about a few things. Are you ready to listen? Yet?”

There is a wonderful story in the Bible about listening vs. allowing ourselves to be distracted. It is the story of Martha and Mary. It can be found in Luke 10:38-42.

38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

This is why the story of Mary and Martha goes so much deeper than it seems on the outside.  Mary represents the one who puts their trust and their focus in and upon God. Martha represents one who puts their trust and focus on the works that they are doing for God.  What Mary has will never be taken away from her, but what Martha has done can be taken away, dismissed, and over the course of time, simply forgotten.    

Do you notice the relationship between being distracted and being distressed? It was Martha, not Mary that felt so much distress. In fact, Martha was incensed with the Lord! She judged Him harshly since He did not seem to want to line up His point of view with her priorities at the moment: “Do you not care?”  1) Our distractions cause us to see God from a human perspective. Then she told Jesus what to do, “Then tell her to help me”.  2) Our distractions lead to shift our position of doing life “with” God to one of being “over” God. Then, she accused her sister of “leaving her all alone to do the serving”. 3) Finally our distractions cause us to misjudge others motives and choices.

Meanwhile, Mary was taking a Sabbath, listening to Jesus and sitting (not standing, not working) at his feet.  She was resting in Him and in His works. She was trying to see life through His eyes. She was chatting with God and found peace in that posture. When we get focused on our works, instead of the Lord’s works, we become like Martha and begin to unravel round the “edges" because it is not what we are made for.  Parts of our character start to emerge that are not becoming to God or pleasant to be around.  Jesus’ response to Martha is so endearing. He reminds her of the purpose of rest, and of listening to Him. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; only thing one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Sabbath rest, long practiced by the Jews, is a way of re-aligning with God and coming under His reign and His rule over all of creation, including ourselves.  As we listen to God, He begins to tell us what is most important to Him, and thus what is important to focus on. As I continued this practice of God-chatting during the break that we had during the pandemic and lock-down of the Corona-virus, I begin to see God’s heart in deeper ways than I had before. I saw and heard His compassion for the hurting, the orphan, the widow and those that were faring this alone and forgotten, often without necessary resources. I found myself less distracted as more and more events were cancelled and was surprised that I enjoyed the rest and needed it, more than I had realized.