13 May Live Attentionally

Why is it so hard for us to pay attention; to keep our attention on one thing at a time? I addressed this in my recent podcast (link in bio): We are distracted people, living in a world full of distractions, devised by the devil to disable Christians.

No doubt, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a real medical/cognitive thing, as anyone who struggles with it knows. But many of us struggle with a form of ADD that has more to do with our *flesh* and what we give ourselves access to—all the things that dazzle our eyes and bombard our minds.

We are distraction addicts. I’m convinced that many Christians struggle in their faith (spiritual ADD) because they’ve given themselves to distractions. The Bible gives us answers for everyday life and we see this issue tackled in Psalm 119:37; the psalmist writes: ‘Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.”

We live in the direction we think, and we think in the direction we look; and that could take us in the wrong direction. So, we’d better be intentional with where our attention is focused. In saying “Turn my eyes…” the psalmist is asking the Lord to help him be intentional about living *attentionally.*

Psychologist, philosopher William James wrote in his 1890 book “The Principles of Psychology,” that attention “is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what may seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought…It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others.”

Saying yes to one thing is saying no to another. What you spend time on will cause you to live either effectively or ineffectively. So, how are you living? What’s got your attention? Is there chaos in your life? What things are in need of your attention? Is it a relationship? Your health? Your weight? Your career? Your home and how you care for it? Your financial situation? Your relationship with Jesus?

Friend- it’s time to withdraw from the “worthless” and stop spending so much time on things that have no value so you can deal effectively with others. Give your attention to living “attentionally.” Make the changes. Do it.

I love y’all!
xo – P♥️