Diversions in Life and the call to Focus...

In Nehemiah chapters 5 and 6 we read about the pressure that is mounting on the governor of Jerusalem. At first, those nobles of Tekoa refused to help rebuild the walls. The enemies ridiculed and made fun of them. The people were beginning to be discouraged about the whole thing. Then the enemies threatened to attack them. They had to put extra hours into their work as they took turns to guard the city. What next? Now there would be disunity and discord among the Jews. The poor cried out against the injustice of the rich. While they were busy rebuilding the walls, the officials and nobles took advantage of the poor. No wonder Nehemiah was angry. ‘Aren’t there already enough problems in our hands? Our enemies are attacking on all sides. There is so much work to be done. I’m doing my best here to protect the people. And here we are squabbling among ourselves! Not only that; these officials are sinning against God! Will they risk God punishing us again?’ Then the personal attacks came. The enemies were getting desperate. This time they went for the leader himself with threats, traps and false accusations. They even tried to discredit him among his own people. But Nehemiah kept his focus.

All the diversions; all the distractions. Our lives are filled with them. At the end of the Bible study, we each asked ourselves: What are the diversions in our lives and what is God calling us to focus on? After some pondering, I realized that I was unable to separate my focus from the diversions. I couldn’t sift out the wheat from the chaff. What is my focus? My studies? Which ministry? Which persons? My relationship? A combination of these? All of them? Having to strike a balance among too many things can be a diversion in itself. What is God calling me to focus on? Or will it be to strike a balance? The answer remains elusive…