“in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11
Introduction: THE DANGER OF LOSING FOCUS
One of the great dangers facing Christians today is distraction
I have asked myself before: Why are so many Christians in church, yet not growing spiritually? Why do they not develop the ministry God has entrusted to them?
Why do they start well, but then lose their enthusiasm, their vision and their focus?
So often, the answer is simple: they are easily distracted.
It is like a child. You can be trying to teach a child something, but the moment something different appears, they lose their focus. A child can be playing with a toy and, suddenly, someone comes along with another one. They drop what they were holding and run after the novelty.
This can also be one of Satan’s strategies: to take our attention away from what God has placed before us.
Paul says:
“We are not unaware of his schemes.” — 2 Corinthians 2:11
Satan has strategies. And one of them is to make the Christian so busy, so entertained and so distracted that they fail to notice what God is doing.
If Satan manages to distract you, he has already achieved a great deal. He does not necessarily need to make you leave the church; he can simply cause you to lose your focus while you are in the church.
- Not everything that is lawful builds up
“‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.” — 1 Corinthians 10:23
This word is very important.
The Christian’s question should not merely be: “Is this a sin?” We also need to ask: “Is this building me up?”
There are things that may not be sins, but that can consume our time, our energy and our attention. Social media, films, series, games, entertainment, shopping and many other things can take up such a large space in our lives that God ends up in second place.
Illustration
Imagine a driver on a busy road. The phone rings. He thinks: “Could someone need me?” He takes a quick glance at his phone. It is only a few seconds. But while he looks at the screen, he stops looking at the road. A small distraction can have serious consequences.
It is the same in the spiritual life. Sometimes we think: “It’s only a little bit.” “I’ll watch just one more episode.” “I’ll spend just a few minutes on social media.” But before we know it, an hour has passed. That is Satan’s subtle trap. And perhaps in that very hour we did not manage to stop for five minutes to pray.
- TOO MUCH INFORMATION CAN MAKE IT HARDER TO HEAR GOD
We live in a generation bombarded with information. Notifications. Messages. Videos. News. Social media. Opinions. Music. Entertainment. We have information coming from every direction.
But there is a problem: The more noise there is around us, the harder it can become to hear the voice of God.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
Illustration
Imagine trying to hear a person whispering inside a stadium full of people. The person keeps speaking. The problem is not that they stopped speaking. The problem is that there is so much noise all around.
Sometimes God is speaking, but our minds are so occupied that we cannot perceive it. That is why we need to learn again to be still before God. We need to switch some things off in order to hear the voice of the Lord.
WHAT DISTRACTS US
“God does not want a space in your diary. He wants first place in your heart.”
Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand something profound: the danger is not only sin. The danger is good things in the wrong place. Let us see how this happens.
- CHRISTIANS CAN BECOME ENSLAVED BY DISTRACTIONS
Jesus said:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” — Matthew 6:33
Notice the word: FIRST.
Jesus did not say: “Seek the Kingdom when you have time.” He said: “Seek first.”
The problem is when we put God in our diary as just one more appointment. First comes work.
Then the family. Then entertainment. Then the phone. Then social media. Then everything we want to do. And, if there is any time left: “Now I’ll pray.”
But God cannot be something we do only when time is left over. God must occupy first place.
- GOOD THINGS CAN ALSO BECOME DISTRACTIONS
One of the greatest examples is in Luke 10:38-42, in the story of Martha and Mary.
Martha received Jesus into her home. She was working. She was serving. She was preparing everything. But Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His word.
Martha was upset and said: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”
Jesus replied:
“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better.'” — Luke 10:41-42
See something interesting: Martha was not necessarily doing anything wrong. She was serving. But she was so busy doing things for Jesus that she stopped being with Jesus.
This is a very serious warning. We can be so busy working for God that we stop spending time with God. Do not allow what you do for God to replace your communion with God.
- Worries, riches and pleasures can choke the Word
Jesus spoke about this in the parable of the sower.
“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures.” — Luke 8:14
Notice: the seed was planted. The Word was received. But then the thorns came. The distractions, Satan’s subtle trap. Worries. Riches. Pleasures. And the Word was choked.
The problem was not the seed. The seed was good. The problem was what grew up around it.
There are people who receive the Word, who start well, but who then allow so many things to occupy their hearts that the Word stops producing fruit.
- LEGITIMATE OCCUPATIONS CAN MAKE US MISS GOD’S INVITATION
In Luke 14:16-24, Jesus tells the parable of the Great Banquet.
A man prepared a great feast and invited many people. But the excuses began. One said he had bought a field. Another had bought five yoke of oxen. Another had just got married.
Notice: “None of these things was inherently sinful. Owning a field is not a sin. Work is not a sin. Marriage is not a sin. But these legitimate things became excuses for refusing the invitation.”
Legitimate things took the place of spiritual priority. This is a warning for us. We do not necessarily need to abandon God to drift away from Him. Sometimes we simply put other things first.
- EVEN GOOD INTENTIONS CAN DISTRACT US FROM GOD’S PURPOSE
In Matthew 16:21-23, Jesus explains to the disciples that He was going to Jerusalem, would suffer and would die. Peter then takes Jesus aside and tries to stop Him.
Peter was worried. Peter loved Jesus. Peter wanted to protect Him. But Jesus rebuked him:
“‘You are a stumbling block to me,’ Jesus said, ‘because you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.'” — Matthew 16:23
This teaches us something important: not everything that seems good is necessarily aligned with God’s purpose. Sometimes our feelings, our desires and even our good intentions can take us out of the Lord’s direction. We need spiritual discernment.
“What holds your eyes holds your mind; what holds your mind begins to govern your heart.”
- “TURN MY EYES AWAY FROM WORTHLESS THINGS”
There is a prayer we need to recover:
“Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” — Psalm 119:37
What a powerful prayer!
The psalmist does not merely say: “Lord, take away the bad things.” He says: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” Because there are things that are not necessarily sinful, but that are worthless for the purpose God has for our lives.
Every day we are bombarded by things that want our attention. That is why we need to ask: “Lord, help me to know where to place my eyes.”
Because what holds our eyes often ends up holding our minds. And what holds our minds can begin to govern our hearts.
CONCLUSION — DO NOT LOSE FOCUS
Satan does not need to destroy a Christian all at once.
He does not need to make you blaspheme, nor take you out of the church, nor make you publicly deny your faith. He is patient. He works slowly. And his most effective weapon is the most subtle of all: distraction.
A little less prayer.
A little less Bible.
A little less fellowship.
A little more entertainment.
A little more worry.
A little more social media.
A little more material things.
And, little by little, without you even noticing, your heart grows cold, your vision fades, and you remain in the church — but you are no longer with God.
That is why Paul warns us:
“We are not unaware of his schemes.” — 2 Corinthians 2:11
We need to be alert. We need to discern. We need to learn to say no to some things. We need to recover silence, prayer and hunger for the Word.
But hear this well: the best defence against distraction is not merely to watch more. It is to look more at Jesus.
Because the truth is this — and I want you to leave here with it engraved on your heart:
“Satan does not need to take you out of the church; he only needs to take your eyes off Jesus.”
That is why, brothers and sisters, our gaze needs to be fixed. Not on circumstances. Not on worries. Not on the novelties of this world. But on Him:
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” — Hebrews 12:2
If your eyes are on Jesus, distraction loses its power. If your eyes are on Jesus, the noise of the world cannot drown out His voice. If your eyes are on Jesus, you will not lose focus — because your focus is not a thing, it is a Person.
Keep your eyes on Him. He will not let you lose your way.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
What is stealing my attention away from God?
What distraction has been consuming my prayer time?
Is there something legitimate that has become more important than God?
Am I too busy to hear the voice of the Lord?
Am I doing many things for God, but spending little time with God?