Like anyone else, I can be lured by distractions from tasks I need to complete, like writing my Friday sermon. Let’s face it, there are times when I’d much rather be plopped in front of my PlayStation 3 than studying ancient texts. We all have similar temptations, though they are different for each of us.
The trick to overcoming distractions, I’ve found, is to rediscover what’s exciting about the task at hand in the first place. For example, I enjoy studying Scripture. I enjoy reading and researching ancient insights into Scripture. It’s fun to find nuggets of insight, polish them up, and present them in a way that opens up new ways of understanding those passages for other people.
I enjoy delivering a message. Sure, it’s a bit nerve-wracking at times, but once I start speaking, I enjoy the task of sharing the message I’m delivering with others. Perhaps it’s my background in theater, but being in front of a crowd isn’t that big of a hurdle for me.
Once I think about things like these, the call of that PS3 game diminishes into the background and I’m able to enjoy the heck out of the very activity that, at times, seems like a task rather than a joy.
Tags: PlayStation 3, sermon, writing