One day I had a small leaf stuck to my windshield.  It wasn’t very big and wasn’t even blocking my line of vision driving but I found my eyes kept gravitating to it as I was driving down the road.  This would blur my vision of the road.  It wasn’t a bad thing, it was a small leaf and leaves aren’t bad right?  Not like some things that end up on our windshields from time to time, you know, things from birds and such :).  However, this leaf was a distraction; it shifted my focus to it and not the road, which could have caused me to have a wreck and never make it to my destination.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.” Proverbs 4:25 (ESV)

Distractions come in many shapes and sizes.  Some good, some bad…what isn’t a distraction for one may be a distraction for another.  The definition of distraction is a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.  If Hebrews 12:2 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, then as Christians, our eyes are to be on Jesus.  Anything that prevents us from giving our full attention to Him can be classified as a distraction.

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways.” Psalm 119:15 (ESV)

Look at your life, your priorities, your day…prayerfully discern anything that takes your gaze from God, off His ways, His purpose, priorities and true calling He has placed on your life.  Does anything blur where He has you going?  Is there something that shifts your focus to it and any issues that come with it rather than what He has called you to?  Remove it if so- even if it’s hard.  Certain distractions aren’t always easy to give up, especially if they are good things (and especially if you err on the side of people pleasing but that’s another post for another day!), but He will help you.

“Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.” Proverbs 4:25-27 (MSG)

The leaf eventually blew away on it’s own and now my vision through my windshield is clear once again. 🙂