So it’s very late on Wednesday night….and I’m determined to finish this post that I started on Monday morning….hence the title of this Blog today! This week has been a string of choices that left me distracted and procrastinating! There have been a few things that I did accomplish but many more that I haven’t. “I’ll do that tomorrow.” Sound familiar? Do you find yourself distracted? Do you find yourself procrastinating? I’ve lived long enough to know that I’m not alone in this!
To be distracted means: having the attention diverted; rendered incapable of behaving, reacting, etc., in a normal manner, as by worry, remorse, or the like; irrational; disturbed.
And the meaning of procrastination: the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.
Um…hello….welcome to my week!
My Thanksgiving decorations that I began collecting on the dining table (on Sunday by the way)….still there.
My laundry that I started putting in the washer….still there because I haven’t collected all the baskets in the house (water shortage means…cram as much as you can and still get it clean!)
An extra table that we used for Thanksgiving dinner with the family…still up in the kitchen…collecting new items that I haven’t put away.
Okay…you get the picture. So where do I go from here ~ sit down at 11:30pm at night and finish this blog!
So when does distraction, or procrastination, turn into disobedience? Oh! I got your attention, eh? Me too! I was reminded this week of a sweet new friend who told me earlier this year (when I wasn’t pursuing the passion of my heart in writing this blog), “Sister, you gotta get right with God. You are living in disobedience. You are not doing what God has told you to do, which means you are missing out on the blessings He has for you!” Whoa!! That got my attention. Between her tender discipline and help from my oldest daughter to create a plan, I moved forward!
I absolutely LOVE to write! I love to share what God has taught me with others. I have an ongoing “blog ideas” list on my phone and I had ideas to it several times a day. So why has this week been different?
I know exactly why….I was allowing my brain to be distracted by outside forces that were completely out of my control. And some that were. Long story short, I was finally able to quiet my soul today and realize that I am writing for the Lord. I cannot write for myself. I cannot write in hopes of success. I cannot write hoping to receive the proverbial pats on the back. I must write what the Lord has put on my heart. I must write FOR Him and for HIM alone!
Psalm 119:36-38 “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.”
Is this verse great or what? Totally sums up what has slowly become my prayer this week. Oh dear Lord ~ keep me focused on You and not on the distractions of this world. It’s different for everyone ~ TV, Facebook, relationship issues, home life, housework, daily tasks, etc. When I keep my focus on the Lord, He is most assuredly going to help me put into proper perspective the things on my calendar in such a way that all that I do will be a reflection of His goodness and His graciousness.
Mark 7:21-22 “ For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.”
I saw a posting on the infamous Facebook the other day that said, “It is in herself she will find the strength she needs.” Please hear me when I tell you that I absolutely believe that women have been created so uniquely wonderful, and we are capable of doing A LOT of things that surprise us! What I want you to see is in the above quote is that the strength it speaks of is from within the woman. But when we check this quote against what God’s Word says, we can see that this will never work. I cannot do anything by MY own strength (any doubts here…check back at that list I wrote in the beginning of this blog post.) 🙂
Left alone to our own strength, to looking at our own heart for guidance, trusting our own mind to determine our path ~ we are paving the way to a life of disenchantment and disappointment. When that happens, the distraction and the opportunities to procrastinate seems to increase ten-fold.
Psalm 96:9 “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!”
God’s Word is beautifully written! He is holier than holy! He is clothed in splendor and calls us His child! God’s Word applies to our life today as much as it did to the original audience it was written for. Proof that God’s Word is alive! We can look to scriptures to encourage us to focus on the Lord, and as the above verse in Deuteronomy speaks to, we will be able “to walk in all his ways.” When we are walking in ALL of His way, we can more easily pursue a relationship with the Lord. To daily learn how to love and serve the Lord with greater intensity, everyday. My heart and soul must be full of HIM ~ not full of my own strength. Because if that is all my heart is full of of ~ then I will be limiting the future plans that God has for me. I will miss out on the blessings He has intended for me. How sad is that! Yet that is EXACTLY what I’m doing every time allow outside distractions to encourage the spirit of procrastination in me.
Praise the Lord that He is patient. Praise the Lord that He does not get distracted where I’m concerned. Praise the Lord that He does not procrastinate when it comes to making sure that I return my focus to Him. Praise the Lord that He sees me and knows my name!
And now…I am recharged. My focus has been reignited on the face of my Heavenly Father. The distractions of my heart have eased as I give them up and allow God’s plan to take first place in my mind. I’m thankful for a new day…which by the way…it technically is now because it’s 12:15am. Time to go and rest in the peace and calmness of the Lord. Trusting that when I wake in the morning and give the day back to the Lord, asking for His guidance to see what is important, He will answer me right away ~ because He will be waiting for me to start the day. He will be enthusiastically anticipating the arrival of the sunrise on my day to show me how much He loves me and how great the plans are that He has for me.
God bless you with clarity and responding with first time obedience when the Lord ask you to do something.
Blessings,
René
Broken & Blessed~Adventures in Gratutide! 