Nothing.

We all do it and some are better at it than others. Some of us do it so well that we are unaware of the work required to do it. We all fill our lives with distractions. We believe that we are working hard to achieve this or that. We convince ourselves that building resumes, claiming credentials, working in the church, keeping clean homes, building perfect lives will give us fulfillment. We convince ourselves that the distractions are necessary and serve a true purpose in our lives and for a while, maybe they do.  

We add one more job, one more responsibility, one more commitment, and one more goal to our list of “to dos”, while we are really on a quest to true fulfillment. And when we are forced to sit quietly long enough with ourselves, we come to realize that our soul is crying out for more, more of God.  But, sometimes drawing closer to God can stir up a number of uncomfortable feelings and emotions. Sometimes God will identify areas of our lives that need His healing hand, forgiving power and His incomparable grace. When we draw near to God the darkness within us is unveiled, but for many of us that is an uncomfortable position to face. So, we get back to the business of distractions. We don’t like how it feels to acknowledge the areas of our lives that are dark and broken, so we run from those places, hide from them, conceal them and keep busy avoiding them. 

Sometimes we create wholesome distractions. We build ministries, participate in charities, give of ourselves to our friends and family, but if those activities are performed in an effort to avoid facing the issues that reside in us, deep inside us, then they are merely distractions. If we are so busy getting involved in this and that and fail to seek God for guidance and we refuse to take time to establish and build a genuine relationship with God, then we labor in vain. The Bible says, Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over  the city, the guards stand in watch in vain. (Psalm 127:1 NIV) We can be involved in so many things, give so much of ourselves and convince ourselves that we are doing a good thing, but we must examine our heart—daily. 

We must surrender our agenda--daily.

We must come before the throne--daily and ask God to have His way in us daily.

We must ask God to search us and to purify our hearts, our minds and our motives.

It is in those times that we uncover the distractions and measure them for what they are in our lives. We can still live a life that is full and abundant. We can still have thriving relationships and healthy balance in our lives without running. We can still be involved in an assortment of activities and live a more abundant life just as long as we are not trying to fill a void that only a deep relationship with God can fulfill.

Maybe you aren't running from yourself anymore, maybe you've stopped and decided to face the unfiltered you. Maybe you see yourself and you are ready to accept every bit of yourself.  And quite possibly, you are ready to expose the darkness in your life with the light of God and you are prepared to release the burdens you've been carrying into the hands of the one true God. And just maybe you are ready to draw near to God. So now what? What do you do with the very things that are holding you back from surrendering, totally surrendering yourself to the one true God? 

Nothing. 

You don’t do anything with them, instead you invite God to come in and totally transform you. So, just as there is nothing you can do to make the sunrise in the morning or the moon shine at night, there is nothing you can do to transform your life, except surrender. When you surrender, God leads you on the journey of total transformation. And, no you don’t just lay down on the floor and stay there all day, instead there will be things God will guide you to do or not do, but that’s just it—it will be God guiding you. All you have to do is totally surrender.

Let’s Pray Together: Heavenly Father, I am tired of running. I am tired of creating my own agenda to satisfy my fleshly desires. I am tired of trying to compensate for my past mistakes and failures. I am tired and I need you to restore me. I ask that you will help me examine my life and identify anything that is a distraction. I come to you to surrender everything I have: my life, my goals, my family, my career, my everything. Will you guide me and show me how to be the person you are calling me to be. And Father, when I stumble and get off track, will you help me to run straight to you for guidance and direction, as you are the only one that knows the way down the path you designed just for me, in Jesus name, Amen. 

Let’s Reflect: Are you ready to put down your agenda and lift up your arms and surrender? 

What’s holding you back?

Let’s ‘Live Out’ Our Faith: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of something in your life that is a distraction. Is it something you can do without? Examine what level of impact that something has on your life and ponder on how you can remove the distraction or how you can reframe it in your life.