It seems the greatest downfall of the Christian life is distraction. Our weak minds are easily drawn away to things less important than Christ and His Kingdom. Through music, social media, hobbies, friends, family, even ministries, we have the tendency to pour so much of our heart into these things that we elevate them above God’s Word, the gospel and our mission on earth. I often find myself in seasons where I am more distracted than others, but in those seasons where my heart is focused on God’s glory, I see this world and Satan’s schemes so much clearer than I did before. In 1 Peter 5:8 young believers are instructed to:
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
It’s important to realize that before this verse believers are told to do two things: humble themselves and cast their cares upon God. What are two things that can so easily cause our hearts to become entangled with the world? Pride and the worries of the world. In the parable of the sower, the seeds that fall on thorny ground is a great example of this. Matthew 13:22 says,
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
All of us are prone to distraction and spiritual apathy. I praise God that those who are His He will keep and sanctify, and even use apathetic times in the believer’s life to draw them to Himself. God is a good Father. However, trials and false teachings, when they come upon the church, have a way of exposing God’s true saints. In a sense, you get an early visual of the wheat and tares being separated before the Day of the Lord where this will happen once and for all. This is good, but also painful. When you see your friends walk away from the truth, or pastors you admire go down a path of worldliness and drift from the truth, it can be disheartening. We cannot let it destroy our faith however. If we are to be sanctified in it, we must respond to it correctly.
1) Know that you are not immune to distraction and apathy. As the great hymn sings, should be our prayer, “Bind my wandering heart to Thee”.
2) Know that these things are a result of not being on the alert for the enemy’s tactics and schemes: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” Matthew 7:15. If you are more aware of the latest secular album coming out or movie than you are of the latest false teaching creeping into churches, be very afraid for yourself and your church.
3) Know that God is merciful. We will fail. We can prevent so much by keeping our eyes on Christ, but we do still carry around our nasty flesh. We must be aware of this about our hearts as Provers 4:23 instructs us, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life”, but we also find rest in the fact that we serve a God who will use all things, even our sin, for our sanctification and His glory (Romans 8:28).
To summarize, Jude calls believers to persevere saying
“17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, ”In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”
He instructs the believers in what they can practically do: remember, build up, pray, abide, save those who doubt, hate the flesh. However, the motivation to persevere comes at the very end, as he reminds the saints of God’s promise and position:
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
We are a distracted people, and Scripture constantly tells us to remember things and not to forget certain truths. We’re told the same things over and over. Because our hearts have the tendency to be consumed, we must guide it to the right sources to be consumed by. We must be distracted by Christ, His Word, the gospel, and our mission. We must rest in His promises to us and put all our hope in God alone!
The Fringes of His Ways 