My heart has been distracted this past week.
I have three–no, four–no, five major projects I am working on. Planning meetings and emails with colleagues have crowded my day. My own seemingly endless to-do list threatens to choke out any sanity I have left.
And because of these distractions, my heart experienced symptoms of anxiety: the fever of too much to do and the cold sweat of not being able to get everything done.
You have probably felt symptoms like these. Has the strain of endless work at home or the stress of the workplace have left your heart shaky and weak?
What is the antidote for a distracted heart? Simply to bring it to Jesus.
Francis de Sales, a priest in Switzerland in the 1500’s, wrote:
If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master’s presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord’s presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.
Jesus promised His disciples–and us–“I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But in the rush of all my life crises, I tend to forget–He’s here. In the preoccupation of my jumbled mind, I grasp at the tangled cords of my thoughts and let go of the Savior’s hands. In fixing my eyes on the problems, the hassles, the deadlines, I take my gaze off the Lord’s hands–the hands that continually beckon me to come.
This week I still have a hundred things to complete. But the most important thing on my task list is to continually bring my heart back to Christ and His peace. Whenever my heart has wandered away from God’s tranquil presence, I will gently bring it back to His loving hands.
That is the antidote to a distracted soul.
So whenever you notice the symptoms of anxiety and stress, recognize your distracted heart. Bring it back to Jesus.
Next step: This week notice the symptoms of a distracted heart: anxiety and stress. Whenever you experience these symptoms, stop for a moment. Whisper the Savior’s name. Sing a song of praise in your heart. Remind yourself with Jesus’ own words, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Bring your distracted heart back to the presence of God.
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Inside you will find 16 Faith-Focus Habits that will help you:
- find focus by connecting to God
- truly pay attention to what is essential
- prioritize your day
- find focus in your work
- make important choices
- defeat the distractions of technology
- find rest in our hectic world