How to Maintain Focus in a Distracted WorldSýnishorn

Daniel in the Bible is a prime example of someone who needed to learn how to focus. In Daniel 10, we find out this young man -- who yearned to serve the Lord with his whole heart -- decided to abstain from meat and delicious foods, choosing to subsist only on fruit, nuts and vegetables. He ate no choice food and drank no wine for three weeks. Did you catch that? For 21 days straight, he chose to avoid the pleasure of food as a way to focus on what really matters.

If only we could learn a similar lesson today. Most of us struggle to maintain focus because we live in a distracted world where there are many competing and alluring options. We use our phones to stay in contact with others, but also as a way to tune people out.

Daniel is a good example of someone who took great lengths to focus. In Daniel 10, the vision came to him after he spent three weeks choosing to avoid delicious food. In other parts of the Bible, there were similar attempts to maintain focus. One example comes from Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights as He prepared for his ministry. By forsaking food, Jesus chose to focus on prayer and not deal with any worldly endeavor.

The choices we make can often determine our level of focus. In the Bible, there are countless stories of people choosing wisely -- and at times poorly. For every story of Daniel, there is a story of someone in the Bible who lost focus and made a bad decision. The prime example? When Adam and Eve were in the garden and chose to disobey God by eating fruit in Genesis 3:6. Once again -- distraction. They didn’t think through the consequences.

Ever since, all of us struggle with decisions. In order to maintain focus, it's important to be aware of which distractions are competing for your attention. At times, it might require setting aside time for prayer, finding a quiet place to study, and even choosing not to eat pleasurable food for a time. That teaches us to think through our impulses, and to make better decisions.