when distractions lead to detours

Have you ever found yourself in a good place with managing your time with God and then suddenly the busyness of life swoops in and now it’s been seven days since you’ve even sat in His presence, let alone opened up your word?

I found myself there recently and I don’t know about you but my heart yearns for Jesus consistently. I love His word. I love His voice. I love His presence. I need Him DAILY; moment by moment.

Staying close to God isn’t about perfection; it’s about prioritization.

And yet…..

We still tend to drift. Distractions clamor for our attention and they lead us down a detoured path away from our devotional life.

At times it can just be a lack of discipline whereas other times, we choose what’s urgent vs. what’s important.

We see this play out in scripture; Jesus was surrounded by constant demands where crowds were pressing in, disciples asking questions, people begging for healing…..yet He continually withdrew to pray (Mark 1:35). He refused to let need dictate His pace; instead, He moved by the Father’s direction, not by people’s pressure.

Here are 4 reasons why we tend to neglect the importance of our devotional life:

1-Mental overload: when our minds are cluttered with to-do lists, our brain defaults to crossing the tasks off instead of stillness before God.

2-Relying on our own strength: we learn to manage everything on our own strength and this tends to look like autopilot. We lose our sense of need for God.

3-Divided attention: distractions, fatigue and even ‘good’ things can divide our attention which causes our devotion to weaken.

4-Devotion requires slowing down: spending time with God isn’t a task; it’s relational. Relationships require presence and when life speeds up, slowing down feels more costly.

You don’t have to wait until you’re drained to reconnect with God. Just build rhythms that refuel you: worship music in the morning, journaling before bed, prayer walks, fasting days. Discipline isn’t about rules but moreso about resets that keep your soul aligned.

Even in busy seasons, you can stay close to His heartbeat. Start small. Be consistent. Remember awareness and intentionality are key.

Think about it: if you were in a relationship with someone and depended on the connection you shared to carry you through, that connection would eventually fade without pursuit.

To pursue means to go beyond casual interest; it’s commitment. Relationships don’t fade because they lose value…they fade because they lose intentionality. When pursuit stops, the relationship stalls.

Let’s pray:

Jesus, I admit how easily I get caught up in the noise and demands of life. Help me to recognize when I’m drifting and draw me back quickly to Your presence.
Teach me to choose what’s important over what’s urgent, and to find stillness in the midst of busyness. Give me eyes to see You in ordinary moments and a heart that stays aware of You throughout the day. Reignite my hunger for Your Word, and help me build rhythms that keep my soul anchored in You.
Thank You that even when I wander, You always welcome me back with open arms. Recalibrate me so I can remain in step with your Spirit, Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

much love,

jordyn