Psalm 46:10
“Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee.‘Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.’”
Who here has a rough time focusing? Do you notice that sometimes it’s difficult to focus on just one thing for an extended period of time (like your teachers in class, or homework, or reading your bible)? Why is that so hard? I don’t know about you, but I have no trouble focusing for hours on a Netflix binge or spending all day on one of my favorite hobbies. But, sit down in a quiet room and try to focus on what God is doing in my life for ten minutes—it’s a battle sometimes! Is it just me? There’s no way that I’m the only one who’s struggled with this “focus” issue.
Here’s a thought. We are currently living in a distraction-filled culture. So, hearing from God can be difficult because hearing from him requires focus. If God speaks in whispers, we need to find a way to be still, quiet our minds, and focus. Here are a couple of ideas you might try to get your heart and mind to be still before the Lord long enough to hear or see what He’s up to:
1. Ditch the Devices—Wherever you go to be alone with God, make it a screen-free environment. Anything that beeps, buzzes, or alerts you should be turned off (or better yet, left somewhere else). If you use your phone to read the Bible (you know like you are right now), put it in Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb so that texts or social media alerts aren’t constantly trying to drown out God.
2. Try Moving—Some of us are restless creatures, and trying just to physically sit still can be distracting all by itself. I’ve had some incredible moments with God while out on a walk or a hike. You don’t have to focus that hard on walking (generally), but it can give your body something to do that frees up your mind to talk with God.
3. Isolate—If I’m trying to go really deep with God and I think there’s even the possibility of getting interrupted, it messes with my ability to focus. If that sounds like you, plan your time and location very carefully. Maybe you have to get up earlier to avoid your little siblings. Maybe you need to shut yourself in the closet of your room to hideout. I don’t know what it is for your specific situation, but choose a time and place where you know you can avoid interruption.
This list could go on, but if you’re having trouble being still and focusing on God, it’s going to be really difficult to hear from Him or see what He’s doing in your life. Try a couple of those tips above, and if you stick with it even for just a few days, I can almost guarantee it’ll start to get easier. And as you make a regular habit of hearing from God and seeing Him at work in your life, your faith is going to grow like never before.
Matthew 6:6
“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.