Distractions

There are times that life seems like a life of distractions. I had a conversation today with a friend who marveled at how many times my study phone rang. He said, “That would drive me nuts!” Often times it does. So many times, when I am really trying to concentrate or to get things done, the phone rings, someone drops by to see me, I remember something that I should have done last week, or I simply get distracted from the task at hand. When the distraction is completed (if it ever completes), I have to begin all over again to get the momentum that I need to get stuff done.


Many times, I find the greatest enemy that I have to a meaningful prayer life is distraction. There are so many otherwise good things that can, so very quickly, interrupt my time alone with God and hinder my ability to hear his still small voice leading me and guiding me each day. Before long, I feel dry and isolated from him and realize that it is my own fault. I have not heard from him near enough. Or, I hurry my prayer time, trying to fit it in between distractions and diversions. The result is that I don’t have the depth in my time with God. Soon, we are just acquaintances rather than the intimate companions that he longs for that transforms my life according to his plan.

Here are some hints to deal with the distractions that hinder our prayer life.

Get away! Jesus frequently withdrew to solitary places to pray. Oftentimes at the zenith of ministry activity, he found the need to get alone with God and listen clearly to his voice. He encouraged his followers to “enter their prayer closet” to pray. He knew how powerfully God can speak when we slow down to focus on his voice and his will. Find a comfortable, quiet, regular place that you can set aside as your place of prayer. Make it comfortable to you. In time, you will look forward to that chair or couch, That place will be the cherished time when God will speak.

Take a notebook and pen with you. I can guarantee that the moment that you sit down to concentrate on prayer and touching the face of God, twenty-five things will cross your mind that you need to do or people that you need to call. These will be very important things that you simply cannot forget. As they come to your mind, just jot them down on a page of the notebook. Then you can give yourself permission to forget about them and come back to them later. Rather than interrupt your prayer time, you can put things in life in their proper place and stay connected to God.

Let the phone ring. Most of us have some sort of answering machine. Use it for what it was intended. We can return a phone call in a few minutes, after God is done with us. Nothing in life is as important as the time we spend with God, listening to his voice lead us, grow us, and direct us.

Try these simple hints to deal with the distractions that often cross our life. God will less you and draw closer to you as you draw closer to him.