The Distracted Christian

With a couple of hours to kill between appointments, I decided to head over to the water and just sit. But, instead of relaxing, I became distracted by what I could be doing.

Being a Florida girl, I love being near the ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Something about water is just so calming for me.

However, rather than just allowing myself to sit, be still, and be present, I went straight to doing. In my mind, this extra time was the perfect opportunity to do research or finish an article.

My plans were interrupted when I realized that I had a poor Internet signal—and I wouldn’t be able to do what I needed to do.

In that moment, I realized that I was doing instead of being. 

So, I used that time to be mindful of the beauty of my surroundings.

Watching the tide moving, hearing the birds chirp, and experiencing the rare cold day in Florida were all I needed to reframe my perspective.

I went from needing to be busy to just enjoying the moment that I had available.

We must be careful to not become so distracted by the cares of this world that we lose sight and sound of the Jesus' doctrine.

Are You a Human Being or Human Doing?

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:38-42 KJV

Living Distracted

Verse 41 stands out to me for many reasons, especially during such trying times.

With the world in constant turmoil, concern and anxiety about the cares of this world seem to be almost unavoidable.

But, at the end of the day, we have to pay attention. We must be aware of just how easy it is to become distracted—and take our eyes off Jesus.

When we are preoccupied, and not diligently seeking him, we can easily miss out on the importance of time at his feet.

Martha was a Human Doing….

I understand Martha way more than I would like to. Just as she was concerned with having everything just right, I would have too.

Like Martha, I am a person that likes to do things. I thrive on accomplishments and reaching goals. Productivity is one of my favorite modes to exist in.

Because of that mindset, it’s sometimes hard for me to just be.

In the past, quiet and stillness became boredom and anxiety. So, I avoided them at all costs. 

Living to multitask, I was a human doing.

But, at the end of the day, we have to pay attention. We must be  aware of just how easy it is to become distracted—and take our eyes off Jesus.

Doing and Distracted

As Christians, taking the time to pay attention to what we are paying attention to is a necessary skill on our walk.

Distractions can be:

  • disguised as harmless and beneficial—especially when we are stressed out and overwhelmed
  • quite harmful, but hard to recognize and control
  • meaningful and important
  • stress relievers

Below are just a few distractions that I’ve noticed in myself and others over the years. After reading the list, reflect on your own days and what is drawing your attention.

Worldly Doctrine

Over the last few years, I have watched my Christian brothers and sisters align themselves with the doctrine of news stations, political parties and worldly ideologies.

Slowly, people are becoming increasingly distracted by unsound doctrine. And by distracted, I mean pulled apart.

Interestingly, the word distract is a combination of the Latin “dis”, meaning apart, and “trahere” , meaning to draw or drag.

This not only describes what is happening to our attention, but also what is happening to the church.

Anxiety 

Anxiety is a powerful distractor. Like Peter, our focus becomes the storm around us, while we lose sight of Jesus in front of us.

Because anxiety can manifest physically, our immediate concern is controlling it, as we start to sink into what feels like an ocean of problems. Again—like Peter.

Busyness

This is an area in which I struggled. And still struggle. My need to be productive can sometimes be all consuming.

Like Martha, my tasks seem like a necessity. Because they are helpful, productive, and not “sinful”, it is easy to excuse them.

However, when I take a step back, I can see them for what they are —distractions.

When we are distracted, we forget to be:
mindful 
still 
attentive 
grateful 
joyful
Appearances

As Christians, we can sometimes resort to checking off the boxes and creating the appearance of beautiful, holy lives. 

Sadly, while we are doing all the right things, our hearts can become disengaged.

Perfect Behavior

Though we may not realize it, we can become so preoccupied with behaving in the “right” ways, we lose sight of the sacrifice that Jesus has already made for us.

If we’re not careful, we can easily begin to believe that our behaviors make us more or less deserving of God‘s love, compassion, grace, and mercy.

Char Aukland

Sadly, I have watched Christians wonder, in confusion, why something bad has happened to them.

From there, they talk about all the good things they’ve done— as if our acts earn us  favor with God.

Mary was a Human Being…

Developing the ability to be present and still provides more benefits than I can list. But, the art of being is hard to master. 

One difference that we see between Mary and Martha is the ability to discern and prioritize what is actually important—and beneficial to our spirit.

Sometimes, we can get so caught up in doing that we forget to be

  • mindful 
  • still 
  • attentive 
  • grateful 
  • joyful

We forget to sit at Jesus’s feet and listen for God’s still small voice.

<mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-black-color">Char Aukland </mark>
Char Aukland

Hi! I’m Char Aukland…Christian, wife, homeschool mom, and U.S. Army veteran.

A love for Christ, sharing the Gospel, and experience from my personal struggles fuel my writing.

Additionally, I am the author of Life’s a Trip, a lifestyle workbook that takes an inside out approach to inner and outer weight loss.