Are you distracted by the future? Today’s episode focuses on a distraction that I believe is another one that many don’t consider a typical distraction. The distraction of the future has two different sides to it, and we are looking at both. Let’s find some help and hope regarding this distraction today.
I was reminded a few weeks ago of a story from my youth. And remembering it brought out an important truth.
How the distraction of the future impacts our lives.
Even at twelve years old.
The day in my youth when my mom told me her mother died when she was twelve years old, something in my brain marked time. I wasn’t twelve quite yet. But my simple mind led me to the thoughts that if my mom’s mom died when she was twelve, well then my mom would likely die when I was twelve.
It sounds all a bit silly, now that I’m an adult, but it wasn’t so silly to me back then. I mean, what child thinks about such awful thoughts?? Well, this child did. All because of fear. You see my greatest fear back then was losing my mom, and that fear plagued me for many years in my young life.
I share the full story of that dreaded day when I feared my mother’s death.
The future becomes a distraction when we allow fear and worry to fill it.
But that’s not the only facet to the distraction of the future. The distraction of the future can also be a result of anticipating something good in our lives. Like our hopes, our dreams, our future goals.
Have you ever dreamed about something specific in your future? Back in 2001, I cut out of the local newspaper the plans for my dream home. I just knew someday we’d live in that home, and everyone else knew it too (because I told them so).
Today, however, I don’t have a clue where those plans are and we don’t live in that dream home. So, what happened?
Research suggests two interesting facts about our dreams and goals and the results of what we do with them. One is about fanaticizing about them too much, and the other is the mistake of sharing them with others.
Click on the player above to listen to the full 18-minute episode.
We also look at what God has to say about this distraction. The distraction of the future says, “Live there now.” But God says, “Stay present with me.”
The distraction of the future is not God’s best for us. He wants us present with Him now, and He’ll take care of the future. He’ll be there when we get there.
Links in this episode:
- How Our Brains Stop Us Achieving Our Goals
- Publicly Announcing Your Goals Makes You Less Likely to Achieve Them
- Matthew 6:34 MSG
- Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 MSG
- 1 Corinthians 7:17 MSG
- Encouragement for Real Life Community
- Access my Free Resources designed to encourage your heart
0 Comments