Alicia Warren Johnson (Texas, USA)
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. - Matthew 6:33 (NRSVUE)
As I cleaned my home, I placed a stack of books on the left side of the stairs to take to the second floor. A few minutes later, I walked upstairs without the books and soon heard my dog barking frantically below. My poor pup was distressed, believing that the books — which were not actually blocking the way — were an insurmountable barrier. I chuckled but then paused. How often do I allow life’s distractions to hinder my daily time with God?
I often intend to spend time each day in prayer and reading scripture, but then a long to-do list, unexpected responsibilities, or even my own exhaustion stand in the way. The truth is, much like my dog, I can perceive obstacles where a simple shift in focus would reveal a clear path.
After a few moments, my dog realized he could simply go around the books and continue up the stairs. In that moment, I understood a valuable lesson: I have a choice. We all do. We can allow distractions, busyness, and responsibilities to get in the way of our daily time with God or we can intentionally step around them, making God our priority. Today, I choose to shift my focus and move closer to God.
I can step around life’s distractions to be with God.
To prioritize time with God
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