Death by DistractionSample

Back in the hot tub, typing furiously into my phone, I started trying to think and reflect about the Something that Was Off and how/when it started. What was my first step in the wrong direction? When did I take that first step to the left or right of God’s path for me?

As I thought back through the previous 18 months of this slow-simmering stew of STUFF, my mind instantly went to this chorus of negative voices. The voices were from other people, but they were ringing in my head!

Some of the voices were actually words; some written, some spoken.

Some of the voices were actions I took (or didn’t take).

Some of the voices were social media posts.

Some of the voices were events I wasn’t invited to.

Some of the voices were people close to me leaving.

Some of the voices were disappointing moments in my and my wife’s lives.

Some of the voices were from way in the past, voices I thought I had shut down years ago because if we don’t actively work to cut the voices of distraction out of our lives, even the old ones can come back….

At that moment, I realized what had led to the distraction was the detractors.

You see, detractors are distractors!

What is a detractor? It’s someone or something that doesn’t bring good into your world; instead, they only bring negativity.

A detractor can be a person, place, or thing that doesn’t want us to win, to thrive, to progress, to grow, or to be successful. They would rather detract us from our destiny, thus distracting us to death.

Detractors can be people who:

• Hate on you, hurt you, or bring you down

• Don’t care for you, support you, or believe the best for you

Detractors can be places that:

• Bring about emotions that keep you stuck in your old ways

• Remind you of a mindset that produces only negativity

• Put you around people you know are not good for you

• Place images and/or thoughts in your mind that paralyze your growth and maturation

Detractors can be things that:

• Keep you bound in shame

• Continually remind you of your past

• Put you in a depressive or anxious state

Remember detractors are distractors.

There is nothing wrong with removing detractors from your life; in fact, it’s the best way to live!

Tomorrow we’ll find out how to do so in a way that still honors God, but until then, answer these questions:

What people are detractors in your life?

What places are detractors in your life?

What things are detractors?

We’ll wrap this up tomorrow. Until then: stay focused!