The Danger of Distraction

"but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.." James 1: 14-15 (NIV)

   It only takes one moment of uncertainty, one moment of letting your guard down, one moment of distraction, for the enemy to get his foot in the door. That doesn't mean you can't get right back up and dust yourself off again; on the contrary, that's what we need to do. 
   However, distraction can lead to a dark path filled with low self esteem, depression, jealousy, and hopelessness. We start to turn away from God and seek other ways to mask the pain. We begin to rely on temporary fixes rather than God's lasting light, ever aware of how farther we stray from our true purpose. We tell ourselves, "It won't be as bad this time; I can control it." A false sense of security further opens the door to our heart, threatening everything we hold dear, even unto death itself. 
   The way the NIV describes it as being "dragged away" by our evil desires paints quite a picture in my mind. If distraction allows for the enemy to open the door, then succumbing to sinful desires allows him to knock us off our feet and drag us away from God, away from His light, and into the shadows where evil thrives. It means that we were not firmly planted upon the Rock of our Salvation, and the storms came and swept us away like leaves in the wind.
   God wants us to grow in faith and love for Him, especially when dark times come, as it says in verse 12 of James 1; "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." Each one of us will experience trials specifically meant to help us grow and be molded into who God designed us to be; they are not meant to drag us down, but to build us up. When we declare victory in Christ instead of letting our past defeats control us, we take one more step into achieving true freedom and fulfillment in a way we never thought possible.
   The thought of praising God in a storm sounds great, but in reality it is a great test of our faith and requires daily renewal of the spirit and dying of the sinful nature. Will we step out onto the water, completely fixated on Jesus, or will we allow distraction to drag us under the water and drown us in its depths? I know I've faltered in this area too many times, and it's long overdue for me to start walking in the victory that's already been given to me.

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