Day 10 - Letting Go of Distractions

Distraction is the curse of our age. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of efficient people, or busy people, but for present people. ~Nathan Foster

How many times have you been at a restaurant and looked across the way to see a whole group of people (maybe even a family) sitting at the same table, but none of them are talking to each other…instead, they are all looking at their cell phones, checking email, sending texts and tweets, uploading pictures of their food to Facebook…? Of course, this never happens in my family! Haha!The first time I was aware of this tendency in my own life was when I was taking pictures and videotaping performances in which my kids were singing, dancing, acting, marching or playing an instrument. I wanted so badly to have a record of their performance, that I spent the entire performance looking at them on a small screen, rather than looking at them in real life. As a reward for my efforts, I now have innumerable hours of video footage that I have rarely (if ever!) looked at. I imagine that if it were digitized, then I would watch it again…maybe.On the other side of the continuum, I have often been accused of being a “high context” person. What that means is when I am with someone or in the middle of a project, I rarely respond to texts or emails. This frustrates my sweet husband to no end! I have purposely set his ringtone on my phone to be loud and happy, so I am forced to pick it up to avoid embarrassment in the midst of another conversation. The first words out of his mouth are often, “Did you get my text?” Well, yes, I heard a text come in, but I was doing something (talking to my neighbor, writing an email, cooking dinner, thinking about something else!), so I didn’t check it. Thank you for calling to let me know something important is going on with you to which I need to be present.So, our generation has a dilemma. We are terribly distracted by all the devices and “busyness” around us, but some of those devices allow us to be present in ways that we never could have been present before. For instance, last night, I was able to be present to my sister-in-law as she texted me an urgent need for prayer, but it distracted me from being present to my husband on a Friday night. My husband’s job requires him to be present to his clients who are spread out across a few time zones, so he is constantly checking email from early in the morning until late at night. How do we let go of distraction? And why should we, anyway?Here are a couple thoughts. I am a Christ-follower, so I will take a few cues from the life of Christ. First of all, Jesus modeled for us the value of face-to-face presence. He didn’t push buttons and pull strings or wave a magic wand to create a pathway to new life, instead he became physically present…Immanuel. He bodily entered into the suffering of humanity. Second, Jesus intentionally spent time away from distractions to cultivate a rich relationship with his Father. Out of the overflow and intimacy of this relationship, Jesus acted to heal, teach and bless people.During Lent, I know several people who are “off of Facebook.” Maybe letting go of that distraction will free up some time for them to be more present to God and to others. My son and daughter-in-law take one whole day a week to be disconnected from the distraction of technology…no phones, no computers, no TV! Honestly, it’s frustrating for the rest of the family when we can’t get in touch with them, but it does give them extended space to be refreshed from the incessant pace of life and be present to God. I admire that. Another friend just described for me her practice of putting her phone in the glove compartment of her car, so it is not accessible to distract her while she is driving. Two things have happened, she says. First, she is a better driver! Second, she can be more present to her kids in the car while she drives. Nice!As for me, I’m pondering this. I love being physically present with people so much that I will neglect other friends, family or issues that are not in my immediate presence. So, I’m trying to negotiate that balance.But, the bigger challenge for all of us is setting down our distractions to be present to God. For me, the never-ending lure of email, Facebook, work, errands, kids and even being with friends keeps me from intentionally being present to God. It takes practice and discipline to notice God in the midst of life. One thing I am doing during Lent is a simple version of Praying the Hours. I have set alarms on my phone for 7 a.m., 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Whenever the alarm goes off, I turn my attention to God, take a few minutes to talk to him and notice his gentle and faithful presence with me. He is present to us and tells us he will never leave us.What distractions are keeping you from being present to God and to others?