Squirrel!

In my quest to get things done, I keep running into distractions. Ever have those? Distractions – little SQUIRREL! moments that lead you off onto something else, which leads to something else, and before long, you’ve totally forgotten that first thing that was oh, so important. Or was it? What was I talking about? Hm…

See what I mean? SQUIRREL!

Ah, but isn’t this exactly what the devil would like to happen? To get us so distracted from the task God gave us that we completely forget we were on a mission. Yes! You. Me. On a mission.

You see, while we toddle around, trying to discover our purpose in life, trying to figure out who we truly are, trying to decide what we’re supposed to be doing today and worrying about what we’re going to do tomorrow, we are missing the truth which gets hidden in the shuffle.

SQUIRREL!

You know, I like squirrels; the furry, four-legged kind that steal your birdseed from your bird feeders and dart out in front of your car as you drive down the road. But the distracting SQUIRREL! moments… I don’t like. Granted, some SQUIRREL! moments can be healthy, especially when it’s a Holy SQUIRREL! moment. Ever had one of those?

A Holy SQUIRREL! moment is one in which the Holy Spirit interrupts your thoughts, conversation, prayer, your whole day even, to give you something He thinks you need at the moment. Now those, I absolutely LOVE! In fact, a Holy SQUIRREL! moment is how I got the inspiration for my newest book, Warrior Princess, which releases on Saturday, July 14! But I digress…

SQUIRREL!

We are going to have SQUIRREL! moments. The key is to identify which kind it is and take care of it promptly. If it’s a distracting SQUIRREL! moment – such as getting stuck in the social media vortex, which can keep you there all day, or a difficult person causing stress over something – take measures to shut it down quickly. However, if it’s a Holy SQUIRREL! moment – like an encouraging word from someone, or a Scripture that just pops into your mind – then pay attention! Write things down. Do whatever you can to remember it and then act on it!

It’s easy to get distracted. I understand that. Which is why Jesus gave us some wise words to live by ~

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” -Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

If we put Christ first in our lives, we won’t have so many SQUIRREL! moments that cause us to veer off onto the wrong path. It also won’t take us so long to get back to where we need to be.

Shelley Wilburn

Shelley Wilburn has been writing since the age of twelve. She loves stories and adventures, and often finds herself getting into mischief with any one of her six grandchildren. She has written several articles and devotionals over the years for various newspapers, women's magazines, and newsletters. She has also co-authored devotionals. Shelley began writing full-time in 2012 after being healed of over 40 years of depression and anxiety. Using her love of writing, and wearing mismatched socks, Shelley has developed a unique ministry of encouraging others using biblical truths and stories from her own personal life. When not writing, you can find Shelley and her husband of over 30 years, D.A. zipping down the road in their newest adventure-maker, a bright orange, Mustang convertible Shelley has laughingly dubbed The Pony.