Focusing Forward: Recognizing and Overcoming DistractionSample

Focus is a matter of thought. What we think about becomes the center of our focus, even if it shouldn’t be.

I am the kind of learner who can study long, hard—and in silence. I do not understand how people can focus with music of any kind playing in the background. My mind would begin to wander something like this:

“Who is that playing?”

“Why are they playing that song in here?”

“What has happened to music today?”

“What am I going to cook for dinner?”

“What time is it anyway?”

“I want some chocolate.”

“Boy, am I tired. When did I go to bed last night?”

“What was I supposed to be writing?”

You see how easy it was for my focus to shift. That is why we have to intentionally focus forward. We have to be aware of what God is telling us about our current situation. We can’t focus on the things that are trying to impede our progress. Focusing forward is all about not allowing our awareness of the distraction to throw us off track. I like to say, “Don’t let your distractions distract you.”

Staying focused is done through prayer and accountability. It’s impossible to be focused on the faithfulness of our heavenly Father and the distractions of the enemy at the same time. We are always submitting one of those thoughts to the authority of the other, even if we don’t know we are doing it. As we choose to submit to God and resist the devil, the Bible tells us that he (meaning Satan and all his distracting thoughts) will flee (see James 4:7). This act of proper submission is key to focus.