Rise and Write: Overcoming 3 Common Obstacles Christian Writers Faceনমুনা

Obstacle 3: Defeating Distraction

“I have so many ideas! It’s hard to focus or know where to start first.”

Have you ever found yourself saying something similar? There will be times in our writing journey when we seem to have a million ideas hitting us all at once. Some are for now, and some are for later. Simply write them down to capture for later.

We have found that we do our best work when we focus on one thing at a time. FOCUS = Follow One Course Until Successful.

There’s really no such thing as doing something well when you’re trying to multitask. It takes focus. Research has even shown this to be true over the years.

We are living in an age where there are more distractions than ever. Can someone say smartphones? These distractions can pull us away from our goal of writing and completing our books.

Years ago, we were hiking Mount Elbert with some friends visiting from Ohio. Elbert is the highest mountain in Colorado at 14,440 feet. At various points along the hike, we noticed a dog that was constantly running off trail chasing birds, chipmunks, and even marmots that would pop their heads up from rocks on the mountain.

This dog continually ran back and forth in every direction before returning to its owner, panting heavily. With the oxygen level getting thinner with every step we hiked, the poor dog returned looking a little more haggard and with nothing to show for it.

This whole scene reminded me of how we sometimes go off the trail in our own lives. Many times, we start toward a goal before becoming distracted with ‘bright shiny object syndrome.’ We look around and notice this bright and shiny object that gets our attention, and we start navigating toward it. In the process, we lose sight of the main thing that was put in our hearts to achieve.

Like hiking a Colorado “14er,” our books can feel like summits we’re not sure we can reach. In both cases, it’s important to stay focused on the goal and avoid distractions that hinder our progress. Veering off trail and then returning only adds to our mental and physical fatigue.

Our book doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere because we’re stepping off the path so often.

The business idea God has given us could bless people around the world—but we haven’t gotten over the hump of staying focused and moving forward to make that happen.

The ministry God put on our heart? We say, “Eventually I’ll get to it…but this over here feels a lot more fun right now.”

It’s so easy to find excuses or reasons to put it off— rather than keeping the assignment God gave us at the front and center.

Proverbs 4:25 says,

“Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.”

There is a goal ahead. We should not look off to the right or the left—as that dog was doing on Mount Elbert—easily captivated by anything off the trail and making a lot of extra work for himself (and probably its owner too).

Keeping focus on that goal, on that summit, visualizing and fixing those eyes straight ahead is how we make progress.

As you are partnering with Jesus, constantly bring that goal before Him and say, “Lord, I know you put this on my heart. Now I need your help to wade through those distractions, and to keep my eyes fixed and focused so that I can complete the task You have given me.”

As we do that, we will see that He has other summits for us to conquer, other goals in mind that He wants to use us for.

Many times, God probably won’t be giving you and me other things until we’re faithful to carry out the task that He has put in our hearts now.

As we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and the goal He has placed on our hearts, we will find ourselves overcoming and defeating one distraction after another on the way to our writing summit!

Journaling Prompt

What is distracting you and keeping you from finishing that book, that product, or whatever it is that’s your main focus? What action will you take to remove the distraction(s)?

Prayer

Father, I ask that I would hear Your Spirit leading me and giving me that laser beam focus, knowing which direction to take one step at a time. I pray that I would be focusing on You and allowing You to lead and guide my writing ministry. I ask for not only that focus but also ears to hear and eyes to see where You’re leading me. May I be a person that would follow You, that I wouldn’t follow every little shiny object. Continue to pour out Your ideas, but I pray for wisdom and discernment on which are for now and which are for later. I ask all this in Jesus’ name, amen.

You have been reading an excerpt from the book Rise and Write: Go From Stuck to Soaring as You Overcome 15 Common Obstacles Christian Writers Face.

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