When we fail to understand our greater purposes as believers, the mistakes from our past, the immediate demands of our present, and the pressures to ensure a “successful” future can compound to distract and discourage us from our most productive devotions. Thankfully, God persistently, eagerly and graciously pursues each of us with His loving truth to help get us back on track, despite all the distractions:

Past: We all make mistakes and have regrets. However, through Christ, those missteps can become powerful lessons and opportunities to catapult our testimonies. Alternately, we may desire to cling to our past and the mountaintop moments of life. However, like mistakes, triumphs can stifle calling when they distort Kingdom perspectives. Granted, memories are treasured reminders to God’s providence, but they are not to be grasped too tightly for new adventures await us (Luke 9:62). There are new challenges to overcome, new opportunities to pursue and new lessons to be learned – looking back too long, simply weighs us down.

Present: Living in the moment can be hard to do. For various obligations and commitments like to make their demands all at the same time. However, we needn’t fret over the pressures of today for when we place our trust in Christ, we discover His grace comes without borders and can cover any demand that comes our way (Luke 10:41-42). This is because He leads, guides and sets our priorities so that when we seek to obey and honor Him in all we do, all we need to do gets done.

Purpose: How powerful a position it is to know one’s purpose in Christ! It not only eliminates distractions, but it helps drive our decisions so that our time is invested wisely and for greater impact. For how can anyone be effective in their divine calling if Jesus isn’t positioned first and foremost? We may say He is, but how many of the divine opportunities that come our way dry up, because the living waters of Christ fail to get distributed (Psalm 73:28)? Consider – is our commitment to the church, prayer and Bible study based on convenience and feelings, or are they deeply rooted pursuits present throughout our daily lives as much as eating, sleeping and breathing?

Application: “Dying To Live” – 1 John 3:16
The death of a single seed leads to the multiplication of new life. Likewise, when we surrender to Christ’s pursuit of us, we die to our self and new life grows greater within to spring forth transformed pursuits – and lives more abundant!