Jake Lawson
There are two kinds of people in the morning: the “snoozers” and the people who have a “sun’s awake so I’m awake” mentality. Personally, I get brief moments of agitation when I hear the generic iPhone alarm sound throughout my day. I’m not a morning person at all. Regardless of how you wake up, what’s the first thing that you think of? Do you reach for your phone to begin your daily scrolling? Do you, first of all, have to get your bearings and figure out where you are and what day it is? Do you spend your first moments beginning your day long conversation with God?
There are so many distractions in our world today that demand our attention. It’s such a battle to focus. Today, Billy taught about how we can live a full, meaningful and significant life through Christ by diminishing the distractions in our lives.
“The devil doesn’t need to destroy you if he can distract you.”
The impact of distractions can, and usually is, detrimental to our faith. Often, the hardest decisions in life are not between “good” and “bad” but between “good” and “best”. We learned that, in order to choose what’s best, we must diminish the distractions, fix our focus and maximize what matters most.
So, what does that mean for you?
Are distractions already popping up in your mind? Are you aware of how distractions are getting in the way of your spiritual growth and even your impact and influence with your family?
Billy talked about a First 15 challenge where we are aiming to give God the first 15 minutes of our day, before we give our attention or focus to anything else.
What are some practical ways that you can give God your first 15?
- Recognize that everything that happens the rest of the day flows from this time. When you give God control of your day from the start, you may find that your day runs a little smoother because your focus is on things above.
- Open the Bible app BEFORE anything else. What if your Bible app was the only app on the first page of your phone? What if your Bible was on your nightstand rather than your phone? What if you put your Bible on top of your alarm clock? How easy would it be to spend your first 15 with God if you wrote “First 15” on a sticky note and put it in the middle of your bathroom mirror?
- Change your phone wallpaper to something that will help you focus. Type out a Bible verse and set it as your wallpaper either on your phone or computer so you see it constantly throughout the day
- Participate in the YouVersion plan with Grace Church. Billy encouraged us all to join in on a reading plan to spend this time with God and do it together! Also, consider subscribing to everydaywithgod.com for daily devotions written by a team here at Grace Church!
There are so many more ways that you can give God the first 15 minutes of your day. Be creative! Let’s all come together, give God our first 15, and allow Him to work in and through us to diminish the distractions in our lives so that we can live a full, meaningful and significant life through Christ!
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