Bible study yesterday consisted of Ephesians 4-6. What follows are some verses from chapter 5 in The Passion Translation:
“Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, lust, or greed—for you are his holy ones and let no one be able to accuse you of them in any form.
Guard your speech. Forsake obscenities and worthless insults; these are nonsensical words that bring disgrace and are unnecessary. Instead, let worship fill your heart and spill out in your words.
For it has been made clear to you already that the kingdom of God cannot be accessed by anyone who is guilty of sexual sin, or who is impure or greedy—for greed is the essence of idolatry.
Your mission is to live as children flooded with his revelation-light! Through this, the supernatural fruits of his light will be seen in you—goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Then you will learn to choose what is beautiful to our Lord.
Be very careful how you live. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes.
Don’t live foolishly, for then you will have discernment to fully understand God’s will.”
Think: if I take that first verse and apply it to everything I read, the music I listen to and the videos/movies I watch, how much would I have left to read, watch, or listen to?
There are times when I feel that there is a thin wall between God and I. For me, it feels like a dullness, a fog, or my spirit seems to be sitting on the Pause button. There isn’t much communication between God and I. Instead of alertness, there is a distraction-based stupor.
This does not mean I am distanced from God; he is still here and with me. However, there is a fog surrounding my spirit. I am rendered useless – unable to effectively participate in kingdom work.
In this position, I find that I am unable to discern God’s will.
I fail to ascertain what my children need. What their spirits are crying out for.
There is a harried, busy push in my days to get lots of things done without asking the Father for guidance. I miss opportunities to be light and life to people around me.
Distraction. An ever-present ditch.
Paul tells the Ephesian believers: “Don’t live foolishly, like the unbelievers around you. Take care what you watch, read, and listen to, because these things either distract you from following Jesus, or they provide life, light and discernment.”
This is no once-and-done decision. This is regular, daily small choices. Choices that either distract the spirit from what is most important, or choices which flood us with Christ’s revelation-light.
As for me, I will live wisely, choosing what is beautiful to the Lord. Why? So that I will have discernment to fully understand God’s will.
Again and again throughout the book of John, Jesus states: “My words are not my own, but the Father’s. I speak only the things my Father tells me to speak, I do only the works the Father tells me to do.”
Jesus lived in a state of constant communication with his Father. He understood the easy slide into distraction and fogginess, yet refused to succumb to the trap. Let us likewise be vigilant to guard against distraction so that we might have discernment to fully understand the will of the Father.
You can’t do big things if you are distracted by small things.