Distractions

Distractions, we have so many!

We have become so rich in this country that even the poor have more distractions than the rich of other countries. Everyone has a television, the Internet, and electronic gadgets to keep their minds distracted from the things that can give life purpose and meaning. Seriously…….. we need to ask ourselves as we watch television each night what are we doing? Are we desensitizing ourselves to accept the filth and violence as the way life should be? Do we really want to live life like that?

I found a great visual image written by A.W. Tozer of how real life should be seen and lived……

“Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves – riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One. While he looks at Christ, the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him.”

Tozer is saying a lot in this paragraph. Not only does distractions keep us from seeing God the perfect One, but looking at ourselves keep us from seeing God as well. The thing Tozer most wants us to see is the part about our struggles to purify ourselves. This must be something many of us learn over time. I have struggled many years trying to change myself only to find repeated failure. I am in no way saying I’ve arrived at some kind of holier than thou place in life, but only that I’ve changed my focus on Christ instead of myself. I know now that the answer lies in gazing towards Him and not inward towards me.

When our minds and our hearts are filled by God’s love then we react to life in godly ways. This reacting is being done by God’s power, not ours. That is why it is so important to guard our eyes and minds from the things that are not decent and good.

God has made it easy for everyone, the weak, the strong, the poor, and the rich……. all can turn their gaze toward Him. God has shown Himself plainly in Christ. Look to Christ today and you will find the very things you have so longed for will be getting done within you. – Gary


PS: Don't forget Spring Training at Woodland Park this Saturday the 29th of March. Don Gordon will be speaking, and Peanut will be sharing the history of Bridgebuilders. Hank, I know you are smiling!

Checkout link for more info

http://www.woodlandpark.org/ministries/men/resources.asp