Pitfalls: Distractions

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. -2 Timothy 2:3-5

The current culture combined with technology allows us to live in a constant state of distraction.  Most people will claim that they are too busy but a good rule of thumb is that we always make time for our priorities.  Satan loves a distracted soldier. 

 

When we fill our days with endless distractions - smartphones, social media, tv, entertainment, activities for the kids, etc, we will inevitably put spiritual disciplines on the backburner.  Our prayer life, bible study, and fellowship will suffer. 

 

Sometimes we can distract ourselves from a certain lust.  We might even think that the distractions are preventing us from falling back into sin.  But this is a devious trap.  Lust and temptation are patient foes.  As we add layer upon layer of distraction to our lives we trick ourselves into thinking everything is ok, that the lust has gone away.  But the reality is that our defenses are weakening the longer we ignore our spiritual foundation.  And when lust does finally rear its ugly head we find ourselves ill equipped to deal with it and we fall.