I really had the best of intentions when I set out to exercise. But the phone rang, not once but two times. I didn’t want to be rude, so I answered the phone — both times. I heard rustling in the other room. Upon investigation, I discovered the cat had tipped over a waste basket and trash covered the floor. I hit the “pause” button on my DVD and cleaned up the mess. The bag wasn’t full yet, so I began gathering more trash from other parts of the house. When I neared the laundry room, I heard the dryer buzz. Of course, the clothes needed to be folded before wrinkles set in. My 30 minute workout turned out to be over an hour long.
That’s probably never happened to you, but it seems to happen to me all too often. I start down a certain path, ready to do business, then the urgent pops up and I end up spending precious time on other distractions. It happens when I set out to read the Bible, pray, or do my study in the Word. Sometimes I wonder if it isn’t Satan’s tactic to distract me from what I know would be good for me. And it’s not that the things I end up doing are bad, but they do distract me from better use of my time. 
When I complete the task whether it be exercising or listening to God, I am rewarded with the fruit of my labor. I feel better physically and emotionally. I am a better person for having taken the time to take care of me so I can better take care of and bless others.
Dear God, forgive me that I am so easily distracted from doing what I know I should be doing. I end up at the end of the day exhausted, yet empty. I want to do your will and receive my reward.
Do you have days like that? When you set out to do something worthy, and then end up doing something altogether different. Would a list help keep you on task? Can you think of anything else to help put the blinders on to reduce distractions?
“Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.” (NLT)
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