Focused or Distracted?

One of the first tasks today, as every day, was to talk the dog outside to do her "business". We went out, not for exercise or playtime, but with that sole purpose in mind. But then there was a distraction. With spring in the air, squirrels and chipmunks are on the move. And so off Molly went, chasing the poor squirrel who had the misfortune to be crossing our driveway at that precise moment. Any thought of our original purpose was lost as she ran full throttle after that squirrel. Eventually she gave up the chase and came to the back door, ready to come inside.....never having accomplished the original purpose for going outdoors in the first place.

It occurred to me that this is such an illustration of my life......and perhaps not just me, but most of us, if we were really honest! We get up and begin our day with a purpose, with tasks to be accomplished, with goals for our day, maybe even with a list (6 most important things!!). And then something happens. We are distracted. And maybe the distractions are even worthwhile and/or necessary tasks. Often the distractions are not worthwhile endeavors, just time-wasters. But at the end of the day, the result is the same......the original purpose, the list goes undone.


I think this may be especially true in the spiritual realm. We are committed to staying on track, to living a focused life, a purpose-driven life if you will. We have goals to be accomplished.....a certain time in prayer or Scripture to be studied and/or memorized, as examples. And then "life" happens and we are distracted. Result: at the end of the day, we still have not done what we set out to do.

What's the solution? We certainly can't go through life as automated robots, "performing" only the tasks on "the list". We must be flexible to respond to life as it happens.......to the child who is suddenly running an unexplained fever, to the phone call from a friend or family member with a need, to fatigue, to any number of things as they happen. But how do we maintain our focus, our purpose, in spite of this? How do we avoid the so-called tyranny of the urgent? What does it look like, in real life, to be focused, purposeful, disciplined?

So often my life is more like "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." (Romans 7:19)

But what I want it to be is "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". (Hebrews 12:1-2)