Sunday Devotion: The Daily Struggle

I'm going to be up front and honest...

I'm not where I want to be spiritually or where I need to be.
Every day is a struggle against my flesh: "Should I do this? Should I do that?"

I'm finding it difficult to concentrate on what's important to God because my to-do list that I have in this world doesn't look like there's room for it. Lately, my heart has been heavy and my mind foggy...and I know that's not how it should be.

So I took a moment with Jesus today. I laid out everything and said:
"Lord, why do I always do this to myself? I know what you expect, but I allow myself to get pulled away!"
Then God gave me a word...a word that I've been hearing all week, just not listening to it...do you know what I mean?

This is a word that has been a theme in many Christian lives daily, especially recently. 

"DISTRACTION"

Whoa, that hit me so hard!!! Distraction...it's definition says it's the state of being distracted, or mental confusion. Wow! I was allowing myself to get distracted because my mind was in a mental state of confusion.

This got me thinking...how can we possibly listen to God, focus our minds on Him, if our minds are filled with confusion? 

Proverbs 8:17 says this:
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

I know Christianity talks and talks so much about having early morning prayer time, but that's what scripture says! That's what God says!
We need to take time and seek him EARLY before we start planning our day. He will provide us with a clear mind and path. He will direct our thoughts and where they should go.

The Word also says:
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." 1 Corinthians 14:33

If we find ourselves in a confused state, we need to stop and think how it got that way. Obviously, we allowed ourselves to be influenced by the wrong spirit!

The Lord also put this in my heart:
Spiritual growth is a process and we have to go through something if we want to get to a place we've never been!

Think about it...when we travel to somewhere new, it's a journey and adventure.

We don't know what is up ahead but we have directions on how to get there...

Today, and every day, let's take time out in the am to have a conversation with God and to get those clear directions! Even if it's only 10 minutes, it's better than not talking to Him at all.
I'll leave you with this last thought. It's a quote from our CT Superintendent, Bishop Hanson. It just came through my twitter feed this very day:

"To plan your day without first consulting God in prayer is arrogance."