Distractions and Focus...

I came home last night, rather frustrated. Here's what worked it's way into my journal.

It never ceases to amaze me how easily distracted I can get. I’m supposed to be working at focusing my daily, sometimes vacant thought and emotion on Christ, right? Ok… I can do that. Oh really? Let’s try. Just today, I started a new job. My commute to Chicagoland immediately got the better half of me. The lengthy, but reasonable drive in the morning was supposed to be my outlet, my charging place, my time to let God help me start the day. A driver cut me off, the toll road quickly turned into a trap, it became every frustration that I let it. Curses, moans, glares and scowls were soon all I could hear above my blaring music. Christ… my savior… God… my father… right… umm, not right now, I can’t think in this traffic jam. Maybe if everything around me weren’t so noisy, I could just let him into my life like I once did so dearly. After an arduous day of policies, paperwork and professionalism, I drove home in shame. Could I have been any more deliberate in turning my back to God? As I rolled along, I remembered the words of Paul, teaching me to “be in this world, but not of it.” How can I glorify him if I’m of my surroundings? My loud music, cursing at stopped cars and outright ignorance make it impossible. I’ve been thinking about the great commission quite a bit recently. What would happen if I took his helping hand and “went forth making disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey?” This is how I can focus on him, I know it is. If I just opened my heart to those irritating little things all around me, how much more could my vacant thought and emotions grow towards God? Tearing myself away from this daily recharging opportunity in the morning is merely a detriment. God loves me, and there is no way I can work at understanding that when I’m building my frustrations on the material road around me. Let go, I need to tell myself. Listen… charge. Tomorrow morning, I’ll try this all over again. I need to build my day upon my rock, not the worldly emotions that have sometimes carried me away. Lord, I pray that you will give me the strength and patience to just listen… to your words, and to you working in people’s hearts. I took a sour step this morning, but with confidence, I can put the right foot ahead tomorrow morning. In your name…