Hey friends, how are you today? How was your week? Well, fall has certainly entered the ‘chat room’ in our neck of the woods.  I love this time of the year.  (I know I say the same for every season, but…).  The colors are more vibrant.  The cooler temperatures are a balm for my hot flashes.  Yes, I am thankful for this time of the year.  

Apple picking, warm glow of the candle, pumpkin spice latte; how many ways can we say fall? September has one day left then October will make its way.  How have you lived the past year? Has it been filled with distractions like mine has been? Some distractions, I admit were intentional, while others came unexpectedly. 

A few years ago, our Sunday School class went through the study book called Becoming a woman of Simplicity, by Cynthia Heald, I was a bit hesitant and wary at the time.  “Lord will this be one of those capsule wardrobe advocates?”, I wondered, “because I’m not getting rid of my clothes”.  Maybe I should also tell you that I was one of the facilitators of this class! Oh, the irony…

The objective of  ladies’ Bible study was to simplify our lives with the purpose of becoming wholly devoted to Jesus Christ. The author of this study had determined that as ladies and I’m so sure, (based on my husband) men too, we have the tendency to ‘do’.  To do too much, to ‘be’ too much, to ‘go’ too much.  We have the tendency to allow too much and too many into our lives. Which causes us to become distracted from our primary goal.  As Christians, our goal is to love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might.  And to glorify Him with everything.  

We have allowed many distractions, dear friends.  And to successfully serve the Lord well, these distractions must be placed appropriately or be removed altogether, if possible.  

As ladies, we take pride in being busy, busy with the kids or grandkids.  We are busy with aging parents, busy with chores, busy with work.  We are busy with people, busy with events, even busy about the Lord’s work.  Most of our busy comes as a result of the ‘good’ we want to attain, which in itself is not a bad thing.  

But anything that distracts us from spending quality time with the Lord is bad for our spiritual health.  Too often, I would dare to say, we either spend time with the Lord out of duty or not at all.  That is evident in the performance of the very duties that keep us busy.  

Too many times, throughout the day, we are frustrated, overwhelmed, angry, depressed, bitter over matters that creep into our lives.   Perhaps it’s that someone that behaved unexpectedly, or that event that did not go as planned, or that duty that took much longer to be completed, or that help that never showed.  How we handle these issues and how soon we get over these emotions, ultimately tell the story of our spiritual health.  

Our enemy delights in the things that distract us from becoming wholly devoted to Jesus Christ.  When I was younger (well much younger) I used to think that becoming wholly devoted to Christ came at the exclusion of everything else, including husband and kids, home, and work.  But that is inaccurate thinking.  Devotion to Jesus Christ gives everything else in my life its rightful place. The Lord brings balance to my life that is literally unattainable without Him.  

I will love others and serve them humbly when I am devoted to Christ.  I will perform my duties with diligence and integrity when I am wholly devoted to Christ.  I will admonish and show compassion and pity to others with discernment and wisdom. I will be slow to speak and swift to listen and I will count it all joy even in the face of tragedy.  Everyone and everything will be given the care and attention they deserve when I am wholly devoted to Christ.  

This past year has been rather wearying and at times, my soul has been despondent because of the unexpected trials. But that is primarily because I’ve placed my eyes on my circumstances instead of Jesus Christ. My soul longs for my Lord and is only truly satisfied when I am less distracted and fully devoted to Him.  

Let’s journey together along this path of becoming wholly devoted to Christ.  How have you lived this past year?