Have you ever gone to war with a computer? Having things go wrong and you end up spending hours (or days) trying to save it? Yeah, me, too. I’m one of those people who can spend HOURS trying to fix one. Hours. Most of the time I win. This past few days I finally decided to pack the PC away for now and dig out Leland’s.

A spectacular sidetrack. Doing something necessary but allowing it to take over too much time. I sort of knew earlier that this was a losing cause for now.

Did you know that you can get scattered? That no matter how much you love the Lord, you can allow things to distract you to the point it may seem exhausting to get back of track?

That’s a very good attack from our enemy. He LOVES distracting us with seemingly innocent projects or good deeds. He’s sneaky like that. I mean, if it was obvious, we would catch on sooner. Hopefully.

Mark 4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Luke 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Luke 21:34 (KJV)  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (consuming too much of something), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

I had no idea when I began to study this – the cares of the world – that it was on a list with deceitfulness of riches, lusts of other things, pleasures of this life, drunkenness, and doing things in excess – like a chocolate addiction that causes someone to eat a whole pan maybe? NOT that I’ve done that – but don’t put a pan of my mom’s brownies in front of me, ok??

As Christians, we tend to think of horrid “I would NEVER do that” things that these scriptures could apply to. Drinking too much, drugs like prescription addition, spending too much time and money shopping, internet pornography, or going out all the time (bar hopping anyone). We rarely apply the very simple things in life that can come under the title “cares of this world”. That’s how sneaky the devil is.

For example – worrying about bills or debts, your children, or covid. Let’s see – oh yes, BINGING television programs on Ne*fli*. Good things I don’t have that app. Binging a show isn’t the point – allowing it to begin to consume ALL your time? Or how about a series of cozy murder mystery books? Again, nothing bad with these books – but too many sucking the time out of your day or night?

How about simple things like having to go through 3 storage units full of your life, getting caught up in trying to fix that aforementioned computer. How about getting caught up in too many podcasts or paying too much attention to what’s going on since the election (I quit that in January 2021). 

I’m sure you can find some in your own life. Just look for anything that distracts you from time with God – especially something considered benign. innocent or good. If it is stealing time away from spending time with God or in the Word, you need to make sure God told you to do it and not the time-sucking enemy.

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