It was a work day, and I was hustling around to get things done. I heard the Lord whisper the word “distractions.” I wasn’t sure what He was trying to tell me then, so I asked HIm to clarify and fill in my missing links, as I like to call them. As He began to explain it to me, I began to understand He was telling me that the enemy was bringing distractions. At that moment, I was pretty focused, so I listened, took it as a warning, and went on through the day.

Several days later, I was feeling really drained—the kind where you don’t even have the energy to be around anyone or socialize at all. It reminded me of when I was in deep places of grief and didn’t have the energy for much of anything. Something inside didn’t feel right at all, and I began asking the Lord to show me what was going on.

The Lord began revealing what I was feeling: hunger and thirst, which He talks about in the Bible. My cup was empty and had become as dry as a bone. In the devotional time I had taken, I had only been giving myself drops of water at a time and a few breadcrumbs. It was not enough to nourish or keep me filled to do what He called me to do. I hadn’t been listening to worship music as much or filling up in any real way.

My mind has been distracted by all the work needed for book marketing, ministry, and family life. I had not been filling up in God’s Word. Prayer was happening, but it felt like a lot of work. These tasks, responsibilities, and life were distracting me from spending quality time with Jesus. Due to my mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, I needed an extra hour of sleep in the morning, which also cut into my time, and I wasn’t making it up anywhere else. I was feeling the results of that.

Psalm 42:1-2 – As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul longs for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God! When shall I come and appear before God?

Our souls are created to long for God to be filled by HIm. When the distractions come, and He gets pushed out of the way, We feel this physically; we miss HIm. The same way we do when our spouse is gone for a while or busy all the time and we don’t have those times to connect. That longing feels very similar.

How do we get back there again? How do we get back to that place where being with God becomes the main and most important thing and doing becomes second? In Matthew 6:33, God promises that when we seek Him first, He will take care of the rest.

Where have you been distracted lately?

Where have you taken back control where you have given it to God before?

Tonight, I am taking time to get back in God’s Word a little deeper, to soak up His Word and be in His presence, asking Him to fill me.

I am going to be intentional about making those times this week, no matter what it feels like it may cost me. I encourage you to schedule intentional time with God this week, sit in His Word a little longer, be still and know Him, and let Him fill your empty cup.

Heavenly Father, We ask for Your forgiveness for becoming distracted and allowing our doing to take over. Help us to be still, know You, and fill up Your Word and Your presence. You are who we long for and who we need to fill us. We love You! In Jesus’ Name!