How to Deal with Distractions
Bible Readings
- Nehemiah 1:4 - And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
- Nehemiah 1:5 - And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
- Nehemiah 1:6 - Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
- Nehemiah 1:7 - We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
- Nehemiah 1:8 - Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
- Nehemiah 1:9 - But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
- Nehemiah 1:10 - Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand.
- Nehemiah 1:11 - O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive unto the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.
- Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
To fulfill God's calling and live according to His will, we must focus our attention on God's purpose. When Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer, he was deeply saddened by the condition of the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Therefore, with the king's permission, he set out to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Although there were many obstacles during this work, Nehemiah did not allow himself to be distracted from the main task. From his story, we learn several important lessons: • Being in the center of God's will. When Nehemiah prayed for his people and his homeland, the Lord showed him what he needed to do. • Remembering the purpose. Nehemiah knew that the Lord's main purpose for him was to restore the city's defensive walls. God also has works planned for us, and His work always holds great value. • Carrying out every task. When we keep the Lord's purpose in mind, it becomes easier to stay in the place God has appointed for us, carry out every step, and continue on the right path. • Properly identifying distractions. Things that want to stop our work, redirect our attention, or personally attack us are not from God. Think about situations that can distract you. Knowing in advance that they can cause delays will help you maintain your focus. Every believer has tasks given by God. To fulfill these tasks, Nehemiah's example shows us a good roadmap.
🤔 Reflection
What situations tend to distract you from God's purpose? How can you apply Nehemiah's example to combat them?
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