Fighting Distraction

Peter gave the instruction to “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).

When I think about that command, I think of all the professions where we need people to be alert and of sober mind. The pilot of every airplane should be alert and sober-minded. The surgeon in every hospital should be alert and sober-minded. Why? Because if they are distracted by anything, the consequences are grave. That’s what Peter was trying to get across to his audience. If the Christian is distracted by other things, the consequences are dire.

It’s so easy for us to get distracted by everything that’s happening all around us. Culture is working against us. Technology is working against us. The Enemy is constantly finding ways to give our brains all the dopamine hits it can possibly give us to keep us glued to our favorite devices. Even good things can take our eyes off the main task Jesus has called us to complete. And it’s hard. I’ve seen the Enemy distract friends over the years who take their eyes off their task. They get caught up in disagreements or the wrong pursuits. Their aim shifts—at first ever so slightly, and then all of a sudden they are aiming at a completely different target.

What is the target we are aiming for? Faithfulness. Every. Single. Day.

If we wake up tomorrow and declare that we are done letting the Enemy distract us and it will never happen again, my hunch is that we will all go to bed discouraged. I wish it were that easy, but unfortunately it’s not. But I do believe if we start our day asking God, “What does faithfulness look like today? In this meeting? In this class? In this conversation?” He will aid us in that effort. We just have to make sure we are aiming at the right target and leaving distraction behind.

Father, please open my eyes to the ways the enemy is using distraction to keep me off target. I want a clear and sober mind, trained on you.

Application Question:
Think back to a season of your life when the Enemy was successful in harming you or knocking you off the path of righteousness. What did you learn during that time? What mistakes did you make that you can avoid in the future?