When Good Things Become Distractions
“So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal].”
1 Corinthians 4:1 (AMP)
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Dear Oikonomos,
I have been thinking a lot about finishing the year strong. If you know me, you know I am one of those people who believes that as long as there is still time on the clock, there is still room for something to happen. Even if it is December 30th, I am not ready to throw in the towel. There are goals to meet, things to accomplish, and assignments that I believe God has given me.
And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.
But lately, the Lord has been dealing with me about something that I believe many of us need to pay attention to, especially those of us who are building businesses, leading organizations, serving others, and trying to be faithful with everything God has placed in our hands.
Sometimes, the very things God has called us to do can become the things distracting us from Him.
I know we usually think of distractions as something negative. Something that pulls us away from our purpose. Something that wastes our time or keeps us from being productive. But what happens when the distraction is actually a good thing?
What happens when it is the business you prayed for, the ministry God entrusted to you, the people you are called to serve, or the assignment you have been working so hard to fulfill?
That is what struck me as I returned to the familiar story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38–42.
I have always understood Martha’s position. She had a guest in her home, and not just any guest. Jesus was there! Of course she wanted everything to be ready. She was preparing, serving, making sure everything was taken care of.
I can relate to that. As leaders and entrepreneurs, we understand the importance of excellence, responsibility, and delivering on what we have promised. We cannot simply abandon those things because we want to spend time praying.
And yet, when Martha complained that Mary wasn’t helping her, Jesus gave an answer that I believe deserves our attention today.
Mary had chosen the better part.
It doesn’t mean that Martha’s work was bad, but because Martha had become so occupied with serving Jesus, she was missing the opportunity to be with Him.
Think about that for a moment.
Is it possible that we have become so busy doing things for God that we no longer make room to simply be with Him?
I have had to ask myself that question. Especially now, as I look at the remaining weeks of the year and everything I still want to accomplish. There are books, programs, projects, financial goals, and plans for the coming year. And if I am not careful, I can become so focused on making progress that I forget to pay attention to what God is saying in the moment.
Over the past few weeks, one word has continued to come up in my time with the Lord: established.
I have been meditating on it, studying it, and asking God what it means for this season. And as I was recording this week’s episode of The SQ Factor, I began to understand something about the relationship between being established and being present with God.
We want God to establish the work of our hands. We want Him to bless what we are building, strengthen our foundations, and bring us into everything He has prepared for us.
But are we giving Him room to establish us?
Our hearts. Our thinking. Our priorities. Our relationship with Him.
Perhaps the pace we have been keeping is not the pace He wants us to maintain. Perhaps what we need in this season is not another strategy, another project, or another goal to chase, but a deeper understanding of what He is saying.
I shared something in the episode that has stayed with me since recording it: What if going faster with God actually requires us to go deeper with Him?
I am not talking about abandoning our responsibilities or becoming less diligent. I am talking about allowing God to determine our rhythm instead of letting deadlines, expectations, and the pressure to produce dictate how we live.
There is a difference. And I believe it is an important one.
I also share in this episode a personal experience concerning something the Lord recently asked me to do. It challenged my business priorities, especially at a time when I have been thinking seriously about revenue, growth, and finishing the year well.
My initial response was not particularly spiritual, either. I had my reasons, and they made perfect business sense to me! But I am learning, again, that following God means being willing to surrender even the plans that seem reasonable to us.
And that is part of what led me to begin ACTIVATE Bible Study, a free virtual gathering every Monday at 7 PM Central, where we can come together around the Word, grow in our relationship with God, and seek His wisdom for our lives and the work He has entrusted to us.
You can join us here: https://www.camillebabin.com/activate
I share more about that decision and the message behind it in this week’s episode.
Watch: Choose the Better Part | When Good Things Become Distractions
As you go into this week, I want to leave you with a question that I am also asking myself: Am I giving God my undivided attention, or am I giving Him whatever is left after everything else has been taken care of?
There will always be something to do. Another deadline, another responsibility, another opportunity, another person needing our attention. But I don’t want to become so occupied with the assignment that I lose the intimacy that makes the assignment meaningful in the first place.
I want to choose the better part. And I pray that you will too.
A resource for your journey
If you are an entrepreneur or leader seeking to invite God more intentionally into your business decisions and daily operations, you can download my free ebook, The Kingdom C-Suite: Inviting God Into Your Business.
https://www.camillebabin.com/kingdomcsuite
Thanks for reading The SQ Letters: Build with God. Lead with Spiritual Intel! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
