Distractions

You may be confused at all the Max Lucado postings today but God knew I needed to read them sooo badly.  I posted them because I am pretty sure that there may be others who needed to read them as well.  I get so frustrated and ashamed with myself sometimes over my relationship with Christ.  Some days it's strong while other days it resembles a myth.  How am I to show others how awesome God is, if my actions/words don't back it up?  I know that God forgives us when we confess our sins to Him but why is it so hard to forgive yourself?

A couple of months ago, Lane Corley put the following on facebook:

"Satan doesn't have 2 destroy U to make U ineffective.  All he has 2 do is distract U."

Wow!  That was a powerful statement.  I had to share it with my SS class that morning.  It was no coincidence that the lesson was on being a consistent Christian.  It made me stop to think of the junk I allowed the devil to distract me with that morning.  How about the previous week?  

I picture us taking a walk while enjoying the surroundings. Then all of sudden something catches my eye and my focus goes from our conversation to it.  I've got to find out what that was.  So I basically turn my back on God while I go chasing after the distraction (family, friends, job, church duties, facebook etc).  I don't realize how far I've gotten from God until I realize something is missing in my life.  The peace that I once had is gone.  I turn around to look for God and realize that He never moved.  The fact of the matter is that I was the one who ran away from Him.  And no matter how far I ran this time, He never moved from where I left Him.  He kept watching after me...waiting for me to turn back to Him...willing to accept me back with open arms to continue our walk together.

And for that...I am extremely grateful.