Second Things First!

Keep Focused and Stay on Course

This week I had a vivid reminder of just how easy it is to get distracted from our priorities in life. I’ve had a sore throat for several weeks, and after much prayer I exercised wisdom and made an appointment with my family doctor. (Yes, it’s okay to summon the help of physicians at times. Just don’t place your trust in them — because ‘Man treats, but God heals!’) I was grateful that the Nurse Practitioner was able to see me that same day. She’s an awesome woman of God whom I met in church years ago.

Since I hadn’t seen Nurse Dawn in a little while, we got to talking. And talking, and talking! As she was pressing on my tummy and abdomen she told me she had decided to take those evening Ministerial Classes that we had discussed previously. I couldn’t believe she was taking the plunge; I was super excited for her. She rapped up my exam, gave me a prescription for acid reflux, and along with a “holy hug” sent me on my way.

Thirty minutes later, while picking up my meds at the local supermarket, I had this thought: Nurse Dawn never did look at my throat! That was the very reason I went to the doctor. I know I’m to blame. Dawn and I have such great spiritual conversations every time we get together. When we’re talking about the goodness of God, time passes so quickly. Right there in my Publix grocery store the Holy Spirit gave me this gentle rebuke: “Quit doing those second things first!”

My number one priority that day was never accomplished because of distractions. Oh sure, the distractions were “good” things — we talked about God, the scriptures, the devil’s schemings, and destiny. But I failed to achieve my goal. My throat was never examined.

How often do distractions throw you off course? What was the number one thing you set out to do today? Did you do a bang-up job with it, or was it transferred to tomorrow’s to-do list? Distractions are of the devil! Even well-meaning ones can potentially get us off course and may delay our destiny.