Deceptive Distractions (A Spiritual Slide)

Originally posted here

(To be) Convicted.

The thing about conviction is that it can happen in strange ways - and right when you are least expecting it.

Maybe even through words you hear all the time.

Convictions - there's no stopping them, there's just ignoring them. And I've found that if you need to hear something - you will hear it.

In life, we all have, to some degree, a glimpse of what we should do, a taste of what our purpose and calling is.

Some of us have blocked it out, and some of us have a hard time seeing it, but over all, we each have a goal, a destiny.

But sometimes we loose sight of what our purpose is

Last couple weeks I have been experiencing this. I was starting to lack passion and even sight of my goal.

The worst thing is I wasn't paying attention, and to such an extent that I didn't realize I was no longer focused on what I should have been.

I first came to this realization the other morning when an older man was speaking to me.

Now, it is not uncommon for him to speak to me or the other kids around here, and what he spoke on wasn't even that uncommon for him to be saying, but the way he worded it made me think.

And maybe it had a lot to do with I just needed to hear these specific words again.

"Keturah," he said. "Remember to keep seeking God And follow His calling for your life. Don't let distractions stop you from doing His work."

I did as I normally do when he speaks, nod and agree. For all he says is always good, but I don't always dwell on it much afterwards. But this time I was still thinking (deeply) about it even after he had left.

Calling.......Distractions.

Distractions.

They are so easy to allow.

When I should be praying, reading, studying, being with someone, or doing something there might be that time when I'm giving into the common distractions:

Facebook.

Other social reading.

Food.

Daydreaming.

Excess reading.

Excess social activities.

But it is so easy to know that these are distractions and to stop doing them, to turn back to what I should be doing.

Self-control in these areas can be a lot easier then one realizes.

Thinking more, I began to realize that there are other distractions out there that hinder me from doing what I am called to do. More deceptive distractions. Things that keep me from focusing on anything that is worthy and productive and constructive.

These distractions have a way of taking over your thought life so that you are now devoting all your energy to what is worthless. You are no longer focused on what is important.

Distraction, once again, has taken over.

Anger.

Hatred.

Bitterness.

Fear.

Worry.

Jealousy.

Selfishness.

And the list can go on and on 

These sort of distractions creep on you too easily, so that you give them all your thoughts, feed them all your emotions, yet never realize you have been distracted from what is truly right.

Wow.

Sometimes they can even keep you from experiencing great things. Seeing new things. Even coming t new revelations. These sort of distractions clog up one's mind so that there purpose is now forgotten.

Can I just clarify this?: I felt very convicted, and I told my roommate all these thoughts right away.

She was like, "Wow, that is good."

Just think about it? Yes, some of those other things in that first list do keep us from our work, but it is also these latter things, these emotions that we give room to, that take over our thought and spiritual life.

They can break our purpose down more than some of the physical distractions to such a point that anything we try to do becomes useless and of no account.

And so, I decided, I would not allow my mind-activity to go to waste thinking on useless distractions designed only to keep me from my true calling.

So, joking, but also serious, I told my roommate, "If I get distracted by silly, deceptive things, make sure to tell me that I'm getting off track."

Though now I almost wish I didn't say that - for she is probably going to do just as I asked and say, "Dear Keturah, watch out, you are distracted" when I am in the midst of a heated rant.

Oh, my what shall I do?

Does life seem to be only going downhill for you? Could the reason possibly have something to do with you have become distracted from what you should be doing? Look into what you are giving all your thoughts to. What do you rant about? What have you been passionate about? Distraction. It can creep up - but we can still kick it out - choose to refocus on what God has for us in this life. Choose His destiny over any silly distractions that we may be feeding.

Sin Defined

In my post, Am I Safe in My Sin?, I talked about whether or not we as individual Christians ought to sin.

But that brought up the question "What is sin?"

This post was  originally posted on Keturah's Korner. 

According to the online dictionary sin is:

"An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. 

'A sin in the eyes of God' 

Synonyms: immoral act, wrong, wrongdoing, act of evil/wickedness, transgression, crime, offense, misdeed, misdemeanor."

It's funny, that even though the Bible has set rules and examples of sin, it's hard to understand what sin really is.

That's because sin and evil aren't things or made-up rules. They are ideas - theological  and philosophical concepts.

Once you understand that sin is not a thing but an abstract reality, it's easier to answer the following questions;

1. "What is sin?"
2. "Who made sin?"
3. "Who decided what sin is?"
4. "Who punishes sin?"

1. As sin is not a thing, but a concept, what is the concept of sin?
Sin is not only the opposite of good, but the result of good missing.
Logically, we can come to the conclusion that sin only exists because of lack of a perfection or good-doing.

2. Who made sin? Or more like, how can one sin if it is an idea?
If sin is the result of taking away good - then sin is made by the offender and no one else is to blame.
Also, the idea of sin forces for there to be one to sin against. This is partly why those that do not believe in God can not believe in sin either.
This is why we punish the one committing the crime - never anyone else. And it's also the reason we are each responsible for our own actions and consequences - because WE are the ones that create our sin.
It's a choice matter.


3. Sin is of itself a "religious" thing.
It's rare that an unbeliever will actually admit to having "sinned" even if they happen to have that sense of guilt that means they have sinned
Sin is that which violates good, and in essence of His nature, God is good. Thus sin is that which violates God.
And what ever violates Him and the nature of good is sin.
So, it's not so much that God or the Bible has made up what is sin, but He has defined it for us.
God has revealed to us all that would disrupt or cause good to be gone.
And that process is called sin.


4. Only good can punish sin. Why?
Because evil punishing evil would only create more evil. But good can bring both justice and mercy to the offender.
When one is totally incorrupted it has the authority to continue pushing goodness onto sin, and vanquishing it.

The idea and concepts around sin are very important. They prove God's existence, and also demand our continual steadfastness to His goodness.

Even though sin is something we'd like to forget about, I believe that we should at least understand what it is so that when asked hard questions or facing temptations we will be prepared to say and do the right things. 

1 Peter 1:16: Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Matt 5:48: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect