White Elephants
I’ve noticed that whenever God is getting ready to do something in our lives, whether it’s bring something awesome into our lives, take something out, or move us to the next level spiritually, the enemy starts to attack pretty hard. Have you ever wondered why? Why does the enemy start to attack us? Because if he can distract us for even just a moment, we will delay or miss entirely the blessing that God is getting ready to pour out on us!
Distractions…they come in many forms. They’re like a white elephant. We don’t often see a white elephant, but if we do it is a great distraction. It is rare, it is beautiful, but when you have to take care of it, you find that it takes more time than you expected. It’s the same way with life’s little distractions.
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Whether it’s a comment from someone, a phone call, an event, a letter, a disturbing doctor visit, whatever it may be, we all have things in our lives that can distract us from focusing on Christ and allowing Him to lead us in, around, or straight through the various things in our lives. Sometimes, before we know it we find ourselves right in the middle of distraction, beautiful or not. The difference between staying the course or becoming distracted is where our focus lies.
But what about those sneaky things that just seem to pop up with no warning? Those things that hit us square in the face with controversy, drama, or just plain malicious intent? What about that? Then what do we do? I don’t know about you but the first thing I do is get upset, maybe cry…a lot. Then I wonder why. After that I usually want to talk to someone about it and cry some more. And then… I get mad. When I get mad is when I realize that I’ve been duped yet again by the enemy and distracted from my mission. That makes me mad.
When we allow people and things to distract us from our walk with the Lord, we have allowed the enemy to use not only them, but us as well. There are people who need to hear about all the good things God is doing in our lives. When we are distracted by the attacks of the enemy, we are wasting precious time and someone somewhere didn’t get to attend their Divine Appointment. Oh, they may not know they had a Divine Appointment, but God knew. I don’t like to think that I have missed sharing with someone what He has done for me because of an enemy attack!
So, how do we possibly get around distractions? FOCUS! By staying focused on Christ, we can lessen the distractions. We won’t lessen the attacks of the enemy, but we will be better equipped to handle them, thereby lessening them. Here’s how you can stay focused:
Stay prayed up. Talk to God every day, many times throughout the day. By doing this, you keep thoughts of Him at the forefront of your mind.
Never stop praying. ~1 Thessalonians 5:17
Stay in the Word. By reading your Bible every day, you are filling your heart, soul, and mind with God’s Word, which will in turn keep you reminded of His promises. It will also help you fight the enemy’s attacks.
But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. ~Psalm 1:2
Memorize Scripture. Memorizing verses will help you bring forth God’s Word for when you are attacked, and also for when you have those Divine Appointments.
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. ~Psalm 119:11
Surround yourself with motivating and uplifting music, reading material, devotions, and especially godly people.
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. ~Hebrews 10:25
Keep your distance from those things and people who you know cause you distractions.
Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. ~2 Timothy 2:23
Don’t let the white elephants of life cause you to miss out on all the wonderful blessings that God has in store for you! Find your purpose, trust the Lord, and stay focused.
