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Point of Repentance: Distraction
Scripture:
2 Timothy 2:4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
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Observation:
Our lives are full of stressors. Some good, some not so much. Family, work, school, bills, cars, etc. With all of the stress, we often look for diversions or distractions through entertainment, family vacations, or other recreational activities. While these can be good and even healthy, there is also a danger when our priorities get out of alignment and we become more distracted and lose our focus.
Social media, TV, or video games can be a nice pause from the routine but can easily take too much of our time and even become an addiction. Even worse, most of the content is designed to hook you in, steal your time, and steer your attention away from God, the kingdom, and the war we are to be waging upon the kingdom of darkness. Deception and desensitization creeps in imperceptibly slow. It’s like a mosquito that numbs you to its bite so that by the time the bite irritates you, the mosquito is long gone and there’s nothing to swat.
I have two jobs and am always building something. It’s safe to say that I’m busy. There was a time when I was playing video games in an attempt to rest, nothing violent or sexual in nature so I thought I was good. Playing here and there became playing every free moment I had as stress was piling up. The Lord showed me that I was making entertainment an idol and looking to it to give me peace and rest instead of Him. I repented, got rid of the video games, spent more time in prayer, and wouldn’t you know it – He began restoring my soul.
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Application:
While having planned times for recreation are healthy, we must not allow our phones or anything else to be a Trojan horse that gives the enemy access to our lives through inappropriate content or by stealing our time and attention. It is important to set healthy boundaries. There are apps that can track the amount of time you are on your phone and notify you when you have been using it for a predetermined period of time. I actually write out my schedule on an excel sheet and schedule time for recreation as well as sabbathing with the Lord. I find that when I make time for Him and healthy rest, He gives me the grace to work hard and to be more productive.
When having times of recreation and spiritual discipline, I have been encouraged to divert daily (daily prayer, word, worship, and rest), withdraw weekly (honoring the sabbath), and to disconnect annually (time away with the Lord and family).
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Prayer of Repentance:
Father, I love You. Thank You for today. I ask forgiveness for listening to my phone more than Your Spirit, for choosing to be entertained rather than be engaged in the war that is waging all around me, and for turning to screens and other things to find peace and rest. I repent of all the distractions in my life. Holy Spirit reveal anything in my life that is stealing my time and attention away from You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Worship:
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