Distractions! Distractions! Distractions!!
To live a life of devotion, we must learn to overcome distractions and focus on our relationship with God in the midst of a busy and noisy world.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of maintaining a devotional mood characterized by a constant awareness of God's presence and genuine worship in spirit and truth. He warns that distractions are the greatest enemies to devotion, as they scatter our thoughts and shift our focus from God's kingdom to worldly concerns. Tozer acknowledges the challenges posed by modern civilization, which has increased distractions while diminishing our spiritual focus. He encourages believers to adapt and find victory over these distractions rather than retreating to quieter times. Ultimately, true public worship stems from individuals who are devoted and reverent in their personal relationship with God.
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And what is the devotional mood? It is nothing else than constant awareness of God's enfolding presence, the holding of inward conversations with Christ and private worship of God in spirit and in truth. Public worship embraces the community of believers and is genuine only as the individuals who compose the company assemble in the mood of reverent devotion. Anything short of this is sheer formality and must surely be unacceptable to God.
Among the enemies to devotion none is so harmful as distractions. Whatever excites the curiosity, scatters the thoughts, disquiets the heart, absorbs the interests or shifts our life focus from the kingdom of God within us to the world around us--that is a distraction; and the world is full of them. Our science-based civilization has given us many benefits but it has multiplied our distractions and so taken away far more than it has given.
One thing is certain, however: we cannot turn the clock back to quieter times, neither can we hide from the persistent clamor of the 20th century. We must learn to live in such a world as this and be victorious over it.
Sermon Outline
- The Devotional Mood
- Constant awareness of God's enfolding presence
- Inward conversations with Christ
- Private worship of God in spirit and in truth
Key Quotes
“Among the enemies to devotion none is so harmful as distractions.” — A.W. Tozer
“Whatever excites the curiosity, scatters the thoughts, disquiets the heart, absorbs the interests or shifts our life focus from the kingdom of God within us to the world around us--that is a distraction;” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must prioritize our relationship with God above all else to maintain a devotional mood.
- We can overcome distractions by focusing on our inward conversations with Christ and private worship of God.
- Living a life of devotion requires us to be victorious over the distractions of the modern world.