Letting go of distractions
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” Colossians 3:2
A few years ago, I wanted to grow in my faith, get closer to God, get healthy and fit, and find a clear purpose and vision for my life. I was stuck in a cycle of doing things in my life that I had always done, and wanted to change the way I lived my life.
I didn’t realize that so many of the habits that I had built in my life over time were actually distractions and were stopping me from getting closer to God and understanding the plan he had for my life.
I used to watch TV most nights and eat unhealthy food while I watched TV. I would wake up every morning and check my phone and spend half an hour on my phone, before I got out of bed. I would spend time on my phone again before I went to bed at night.
I read a book about building habits and it changed the way I thought about my life. It helped me understand that if I wanted to change how I had lived my life, then I needed to start building one habit at a time that would help me work towards becoming a fit, healthy, strong, person.
It is so much easier to start building a positive new habit, that helps to improve our lives, than it is to try to stop doing an old negative habit. The positive change inspires us to keep going and making even more changes.
What are the areas that you want to change in your life?
Do you want to be a fit and healthy person? Do you want to grow in your faith in God? Do you want to improve your career? Do you want to learn a new skill or try a new hobby?
What distractions do you need to let go of and what new habits do you need to start?
I used to watch TV at night, and I had done that for years, it was a habit I had formed over time, that I didn’t realize was actually a distraction. So, I started a new night routine that helped me form a new habit, and because the new routine was positive and I enjoyed it, I didn’t even miss watching TV.
It was the same with social media and spending time on my phone. I had become so used to checking my phone for messages, emails, and being on social media, that I didn’t realize how much time I was wasting, and that it had become a distraction for me. So, I replaced the habit of being on my phone in the morning with going for a walk around the neighbourhood. This was a positive habit and I really enjoyed the exercise and fresh air.
When I started these habits, at first it was hard not to check my phone, or do the things that I had always done. After 2-3 weeks of starting all of these new habits, I started to feel more positive and really inspired me to get rid of other distractions and build more habits in my life that would help me more towards the life I wanted to have.
Starting new habits is hard, but when you start to see and feel the results, it helps you to keep going.
One of the most powerful habits that I have built into my life, that was the most important habit was to spend more time with God. I didn’t realize that I was looking for something to satisfy me and fill my soul. I was watching TV, spending time on my phone and other distractions, hoping that they would make me feel good. I started spending more time praying, and seeking God about my future. I started listening to sermons. I started reading the Bible and meditating on it. All of these thing helped me to feel closer to God and satisfied my soul.
There is desire in all of us to be loved, accepted and known by God and when we spend time with him, we experience intimacy with him and understand more of how much he loves us.
As I build these daily habits of spending time with God, it made a powerful impact on my life, and I can say now that I have grown in my faith and feel closer to God than ever before.
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” Colossians 3:2
What are some of the areas in your life that you would like to change?
What distractions do you have in your life that you would like to let go of?
This week, sit down with a piece of paper and write down all the distractions you have in your life.
Pick one area that you are going to work on, and think of a new habit that you can start to replace the distraction. Write down on a piece of paper the habit that you are going to start and put it up on your bedroom wall, so you see it regularly and it reminds you to continue to built that habit.
The most powerful thing that you can do when you are building habits is to spend some time with God and ask him to show you the areas he wants you to change and pray for his grace to help you building the new habits. If you try something and then you lose your momentum, don’t worry, be gracious with yourself as you are learning how to do something new. Over time, these habits that you are building in your life, might seem small, but they actually going to make a big difference.
“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth” Romans 9:17