"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trust in You. Trust in the LORD forever for in YAH, the LORD is everlasting strength." Isaiah 26:3
Sometimes the world can be a very noisy and distracting place. As one who struggles to stay focused, I find noise a difficult barrier to overcome at times. That is one of the reasons I am so grateful the Lord moved me out of town and up into the canyon eight years ago. The quiet in the canyon helps me to stay focused when I need to do so.
Even so, the canyons has sounds that can momentarily pull my attention away from the task at hand. This morning when I was settling in to begin working on my latest project (a 365 day devotional) my prayer was that I would have the ability to focus on what I needed to write and not become distracted.
The house was beautifully quiet, and even the puppies had stopped their bantering with one another in the back yard. Blissful, peaceful quiet.
And then I heard the dove.
Immediately my mind raced back to my childhood home and the peaceful sound of the mourning doves on summer days. Although temporarily distracted by their sound, a deep sense of peace washed over my soul. Doves are shy birds and apparently felt safe enough to share their song with me.
It lasted only a moment, but it was enough to spark a myriad of thoughts, some to be used here, and others for the devotional.
The first thought was how peaceful their song made me feel. I have only heard them sing in the quiet places where they feel their safety isn't threatened. Unlike the noisy jays and crows who raucously announce their presence throughout the day, doves are quiet and cautious.
My second thought was how easy it is to become distracted even in this place of quiet. It made me even more determined to created guidelines for myself so that I can effectively work to complete the tasks before me.
Distraction is a major problem in this world, but it doesn't have to be the victor.
Each of us has the ability to choose where we let our minds go. No one has the power to force us to think anything other than what we choose to think. That is why it is so imperative to fill our minds with truth. Truth is the light that chases away the darkness and hushes the lies.
There is a story behind the picture I used in this piece. We were traveling through Nevada and a major lightning storm raged over head. There were times the rain pelted our windshield so ferociously that our wipers had a hard time keeping it clear, making it nearly impossible to see the road. But as quickly as the storm came up, it passed.
And so it is with life. Sometimes the storms of adversity will come up suddenly and rage against us, making us feel as though every attempt to see the pathway clearly is being hidden. Don't despair. God is still in control. Take a breath and fix Your focus firmly on Him. He will guide you safely through.
Don't let the distractions keep you from completing the task He has for you.
His plans are perfect.
His timing is impeccable.
He is trustworthy.
Press on in confidence.
