Focussing on the Perfect ‘Distraction’ of Life

“... and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...”

~Hebrews 12:1c-2a (NRSV).

God was never purposed as a distraction. But it’s unfortunate that the way we interact with life often relegates this Lord of Glory to that very status.

We very often need a distraction and God knows it.

When we are flummoxed in pain, fear, panic, anxiety or betrayal we need a holy God to re-focus on. These times our Saviour is a sweet breeze ‘chilling’ our situations so that we’re not significantly shifted off-track.

Not Losing Heart

Healthy distractions emerge for us to partake in and God is behind them. These are practical things to think on and to fill our heart-spaces with. They arrive just in time so we’re able to hold our extraneous moments successfully, albeit grimly.

This functions for us in not losing hope. Sure, we’ll be tempted and we might even experience hints of helplessness and hopelessness. But our burdens are ultimately lifted from us as we learn to smile mechanically, just knowing God’s there and with us in all this.

A ‘Choice’ Situation When Focus is Lost

At times, despite our better judgment or awareness, we do lose sight or knowledge of God and we enter a battle royale with the enemy.

Whether it’s a depressive episode or anything similar or not doesn’t really matter. God’s interested keenly in our following minute, and not on what has just transpired against us. The forward-look is where we’re blessed.

This is our ‘choice’ situation, for God has purposed for us choice to go his way. This ‘choice’ way is the best way. It’s the right way and the way back to life and emotional and spiritual peace.

Instead of a stinking attitude, for instance, we are blessed with real sight—and only a series of moments away is the revival of the soul.

Instead of fear, our revived Jesus-focus has us smiling courageously in faith that doesn’t compare with our understanding. Instead of feelings of betrayal, we think morbidly about Jesus’ betrayal and how much worse that was; self-pity evaporates. Instead of anxiety we go easy on ourselves, accepting our anxious thoughts, as the Holy Spirit ministers to our souls silently behind the scene, quelling invisibly our dissonance.

Distraction is Enough – God’s Grace is Sufficient Always

This perfect distraction was not originally purposed this way.

The original plan was perfect fellowship with God and perfect worship, always.

But the holy distraction is enough for us. It re-aligns our thoughts and conforms our feelings so that we may be healed, yet again, and better again these are faith-held actions for which God is perfecting in us. And as we practice our faith it grows and we grow.

Can there be a better thing to be distracted upon than Jesus?

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.