Guard Against Distraction

2 Chronicles 17:12-19

Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, brave warriors, in Jerusalem. These are their numbers according to their ancestral families. For Judah, the commanders of thousands:

            Adnah the commander and 300,000 brave warriors with him;

next to him, Jehohanan the commander and 280,000 with him;

next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer of the LORD and 200,000 brave warriors with

him;

from Benjamin, Eliada, a brave warrior, and 200,000 with him armed with bow and shield;

next to him, Jehozabad and 180,000 with him equipped for war.

These were the ones who served the king besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Jehoshaphat’s first order of business as king was to station a defense throughout Judah. As he grew stronger and gained new treasures, he built a vast army to protect the storage cities he created to hold his newly acquired wealth. Jehoshaphat valued that which the presence of God gave him, and he wasn’t going to let anyone take it from him!

Luke 10:38-42 records the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to their house to teach, Martha became distracted by her many tasks and asked Jesus to make Mary help her. Read Jesus’s response to her in verses 41-42 carefully:

The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.

What Mary gained from listening to Him was of great value, and Jesus would not order her to participate in Martha’s distractions.

Protecting our lives from distraction is crucial in fulfilling the purpose God has for us and living a blessed life. A simple distraction can cause your focus to change, and the enemy can sneak in and take whatever he wants. Distractions are things that capture our full attention but bring us no benefit and make us unproductive in the things God has called us to do. Like Jehoshaphat, we should build fortresses to guard the word God has placed in us and not allow anything to distract us from following His instructions and trusting Him. The more time we spend with Him doing what He has called us to do, the less time we have to spend doing things that don’t amount to a hill of beans and ignoring the valuable things He has entrusted to our care. Bring every thought captive to the word within you, and watch the enemy flee as you move forward in God’s great plan for you!

Take some time to reflect, and list distractions that are stealing your peace, your joy, your time, your finances, and your future. Each distraction represents something important to you that you are trying to handle in the flesh and are succumbing to temptation. Determine not to let the enemy steal your faith, and guard the truth in your heart. The more you are willing to guard, the less you will have to fight.

Have a blessed day!