Aaauuuggh! I Can't Focus!

Be still and know that I am God! Psalm 46:10


It’s early morning; got my coffee, my Bible, my highlighter, my journal…kitty get off my lap, I can’t see my Bible. What in the world were my neighbors thinking, partying until 2 this morning!? March madness, or something. Kitty! Please! You’re distracting me. I’ll tell you what is distracting, it’s the sound of those neighbors of mine until 4 this morning…I wish I’d mailed that tax return in earlier, we sure could use…hey, I wonder what time mom’s doctor appointment is today? I’d like to take her and keep her company…I know I entered the time in my phone…where is my phone? I sure could have used a few more hours of sleep…if only those crazy neighbors…my goodness it’s almost 7:00, I’d better focus, have to get breakfast ready…


The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT.


Sigh. If only my partying neighbors hadn’t just now gone to bed a little before 6 this morning, I’d be better equipped to focus on what I just read. What did I just read?


Sound familiar? Sometimes, I find it difficult staying focused on Bible passages and my conversation with the Father during my “God time”. Even worse, I am guilty of skimming the verses and then not really understanding what I just read, then have to re-read several times until the passage “gels”.


So, what to do in this era of attention deficit disorders—real, imagined or self-imposed—to stay focused during our Bible study? I pray constantly for the discipline and the tools to wholeheartedly study my Bible. I’ve taken classes, conducted research, and read books on how to better study God’s word. I recognize that I require structure and discipline in the form of devotionals, guidelines, and prayer lists. Also, I must set aside the same time each day for my Bible study. Yet, even with these tools, I find myself straying from time to time. Don’t you?


When this happens, I always gently chide myself, and bring my heart back around to the Father, remembering: the stronger my desire to enjoy my Father and His word, the more vigorously the enemy will try to steal my attention! The enemy will go to great lengths to entertain and divert my thoughts away from Jesus.


What we focus on in any given situation will determine our attitudes and our responses. We must fill our minds and hearts with the right thing: Focus on Jesus, not the circumstances around you--things left undone, chores—all of those things will happen when they are supposed to. Right here, right now, in our time with the Father, Jesus is the center of our attention.


Realistically we know that we’re unable to just focus our heart and minds at one setting and expect to be permanently locked in. Circumstances change, new diversions arise. We must bring ourselves back, front and center, in each situation, each new day. There is only one requirement for wholehearted Bible study: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. He must be our focus.