Lifestyle Columnist, Amanda Alexander
I will use the biblical example of ‘Moses’ to demonstrate why it’s good to be distracted, and David to show what a bad distraction leads to. In the Bible the book of Exodus chapter 3, verses 1-3 states ‘Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
We can see from the above scripture that Moses was going about his day to day business, and wasn’t doing anything wrong. He was looking after Jethro’s sheep, however God had a bigger plan in store for him and it’s the same for us. Very often we too are going about our day to matters but we should also keep in mind that any day God could also interrupt our daily plans, as he did with Moses. Moses went off his normal path to look at the strange sight before him, he was distracted and it was a good job that he was.
God used this distraction to reveal to Moses His plan to for him which was to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt this was definitely a good distraction.¹ However, in life when we lack discernment we can be distracted from the good path and take a wrong turn such was the case with King David with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. King David should have been at war but he distracted by a married beautiful woman, this resulted in him falling into adultery and subsequently being involved in the murder of Bathsheba’s (his mistress) husband Uriah²., sadly this was a bad distraction.
The questions we must always ask ourselves is, ‘Where is this distraction taking me’, does it have the potential of making or breaking me, am I being distracted to get off my current course like Moses, am I developing myself and helping others, if so this is a good distraction.
Proverbs 1:10 tells us that ‘If sinners entice you do not consent’. Therefore any distraction that is not drawing you closer to God, enabling you to better yourself or be a blessing to others is a bad distraction and needs to be avoided at all costs, you don’t want to be living in the land of regret.
Until next time, remember you are beautiful and wonderfully made – With love Amanda x
Amanda Alexander is a Pastor, Teacher, TV Media Journalist; Founder of Female Dignity & Amanda Alexander Productions
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¹ Exodus 3 NIV – Moses and the Burning Bush – Now Moses – Bible Gateway
² 2 Samuel 11 NIV – David and Bathsheba – In the spring, at – Bible Gateway
