Don't QuitSample

When you want to quit because you’re…distracted

Look! There’s a monkey!

Is that how your brain works? It’s how mine works. And there are a lot of “monkeys” running around to take our attention off the main thing. When we are sitting talking to family and friends, the phone notification goes off, and all of a sudden, we aren’t with the person in front of us; we’re focused on a text that just came in. When we are working on that proposal or letter on the computer and the notification box pops up in the corner of the screen, and all of a sudden, we switch to answering emails, the monkeys are on the loose.

We live in a world with unprecedented access to ideas, thoughts, information, and beliefs that want us to give complete and total focus to their perspective. Some of them aren’t necessarily bad but if we don’t have a foundation to stand on, if we aren’t loving God with all of our heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves as the core of who we are, we will get distracted, lose focus, chase after the “latest and greatest” that promises to satisfy the latest longing, scratch the latest itch.

A simple principle of life is this: What you look at is where you will go.

If you want to follow Jesus, you have to keep your eyes on Jesus. If you want to succeed in your business or your ministry, you have to keep your eyes on what you are doing. If you want to have a great marriage, be a great parent, and have meaningful friendships, you have to keep your focus on those things.

The monkeys are on the loose! What you look at is where you will go. Keep focused.

Keep Going. Don’t Quit.

Questions to Consider

• What is the distraction in your life right now, and how is it impacting what is most important to you?
• What are practical actions you can take to keep your eyes off the monkeys and keep your eyes on what is most important?

Actions to Take

• Turn off your notifications to keep your focus when doing important work.
• Know your temptations and make decisions before the monkeys arrive, of what you will do to stay focused.

Prayer to Make

Dear Jesus, I confess that the monkeys are on the loose and distracting me away from what is most important. Help me be a person who has a strong foundation of loving you and loving others. Holy Spirit, strengthen me and protect me from the temptations that pull me away from who you want me to be and what you want me to do. Amen.