Just Jayne

A few weeks ago, my pastor interjected a thought mid-stream in his sermon that seemed to be random. I didn't get the connection of this thought with the rest of the message. C'est la vie.

His seemingly unrelated train of thought was this:

"You know, sometimes we get distracted. And when we get distracted,
that leads to disinterest which leads to defeat."

I haven't been able to get that off of my mind. He's right. He's more than right - he's dead center on what's wrong with Christians today - myself foremost. We DO get distracted by what we think is vitally important. Paying the bills, making the beds and making dinner, praise band practice, working at the soup kitchen, getting the kids to all their activities, family night fun, resting, hobbies, and more.

And these things are important. But they are just details to our lives. Don't get me wrong, details are important and have their place. Wars have been lost, families destroyed, nations have collapsed, and marriage have crumbled all because some neglected the details.

Someone has to balance that checkbook. Someone has to lock up the church after services. Someone has to cook dinner. Someone has to grade the papers. And someone has to call all the praise band members when practice is cancelled.

But like Martha - I can't TELL you how many times I've been distracted by the details. Distracted from sitting at the feet of Jesus in quiet moments. Distracted from telling Him that I love Him and from looking for the opportunities to hear His voice each day. Important details - which turn into distractions - have kept me from reading my Bible daily with consistency and meditating on it and memorizing it.

Sometimes I just feel like a hamster on a wheel - I running as fast as I can - getting it all done and done correctly and done for the Lord. But why do I feel defeated?

I finally get it. I FINALLY get it. Distraction has lead to disinterest which has led to defeat.

What to do? I'm going to start over. This evening. I'm going to keep completing the details and keep on doing all the things that I am supposed to be doing. But I'm going to start praying for clarity and for the details not to distract me from the most important thing of all.

And that is loving Jesus the way the He deserved be loved by the members of the body. Loving the Lord of the work more than the work of the Lord.