Not every distraction is bad. Some of the most dangerous distractions are worthwhile things that slowly consume the attention meant for something else. We do not have to be doing something wrong to find ourselves neglecting what God has called us to do. Sometimes we are simply doing too much of something good.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Good Things can Compete with One Another.
Family, work, ministry, helping others, church, writing—all worthwhile. But none automatically deserves unlimited time just because it is good. The challenge is deciding how much time to give each activity. The old 20/80 rule is a good guideline. The first 20% of your effort produces 80% of the results. The last 80% of your effort produces the final 20% of the results.
So the question might be: which tasks deserve the final eighty percent, and which don’t? Are there other people who can fine-tune some things while you put your effort into the things God created you for? Does having control supersede accomplishing God’s will?
Luke 10:41–42, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Perfection is an Especially Effective Distraction.
The things God truly puts on your heart require a different strategy. There comes a point when improving something yields diminishing returns. We can expend enormous effort to make something 2% better while leaving something else completely undone. The drive for perfection can reduce the likelihood of real change by causing us to miss the window of opportunity.
A need exists; you want to fill that need, but your desire to execute perfection causes time to escape, and the need goes unfulfilled. Or the need is met too late to be truly helpful.
This reminds me of a story from Kyrgyzstan. A young Christian in a Muslim village saw children playing soccer (football) in an open dirt field. He went to them, helped organize teams, and set up a small village league. While refereeing the games, he would ask the children if they needed anything. Then, during the week, he would get whatever they needed and give it to them the next weekend. This man knew their parents would never ask a Christian for help, but the children were different. It wasn’t long before he and his religion were accepted by the villagers.
Now, in America, we would first have to form a committee to make sure it was the best course of action. We would need rules and, of course, T-shirts. Maybe we would need donations for uniforms and refreshments. Then we would talk with the kids.
Perfection can get in the way of God’s work. God will perfect the outcome; we don’t have to worry about it.
Purpose Requires Periodically Looking up.
Ask: What have I stopped doing because something else has captured all my attention? That is the central question. Do I respond to opportunities by asking God if this is mine to carry, or do I let the world answer that question for me?
Do I ask God what my priorities should be, or do I allow my sense of accomplishment to overshadow what God is trying to do through me?
John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Conclusion
Maybe the question is not simply, “Am I doing something worthwhile?” Perhaps we also need to ask, “Is this what I should be doing right now?” There are countless good things we can do with our lives. Wisdom is knowing which good thing deserves our attention today.
What does it mean to be alive? Is being alive the same as living? If you have breath in your lungs, why? God created you for greatness. Are you living up to God’s intent for you?
Love, Loss, and What Remains. Sometimes, for reasons I don’t always understand, life doesn’t just disappoint—it crashes. Not the hardship we expect or prepare for, but the kind that divides everything into before and after. A moment arrives—a phone call, a diagnosis, a goodbye you didn’t know was final—and life as you knew it vanishes.
Greatness. One of the images that haunts me every day of my life is that of the relentless, voracious doer of the impossible. My mind envisions the shadow of greatness; it longs to be in the presence of the world changers. I cannot fully describe the exhilaration of knowing that God has created creatures who have the potential to not only uplift those around them but also, from that nucleus, transform the world. Warriors— that word is not significant enough to define them.
To my warrior princess, you know who you are. You have changed my life for the better and challenged me to be greater.
An opinion is only a state of mind; it does not predict the future. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines opinion as “a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter.” We too often give too much credence to someone’s opinion, including our own. Many of the disagreements I hear are formed when opinions differ.
What You Are Not Changing You Are Choosing is a quote from Laurie Buchanan. It suggests that you are implicitly accepting it as your reality by not taking action to change a situation.
Peter Pan said, “You can have anything in life if you sacrifice everything else for it.”
Whose life are you going to change? I heard this as part of a discussion about the Oregon Ducks commemorating fallen players. As they hiked up the mountain trail, the coach asked them to remember those who helped them become who they are. On the return trip down the mountain, the coach asked them to think about those they would impact to change their lives in much the same way.
Can we find true purpose and meaning through aspiration, not occupation? In today’s world, people often associate their identity with their careers or vocations, believing that their worth and purpose are tied to what they do for a living. However, Christianity offers a different perspective: true purpose and meaning come not from occupation but from godly aspiration—seeking to live out God’s calling and aligning our lives with His will.