Simplify Your Life to Do God’s Work

In Luke 9:62 I read, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” (TLB)

People want to be used by God, but they’re too busy, myself included. They’ve got their own agendas. They have their plans and dreams and ambitions, and they don’t have any time to give to God.

If I’m serious about being used by God, say, “Lord, what do I need to let go of? What do I need to cut out? What barriers are holding me back, keeping me from running the race you have planned for me?”

One of the biggest barriers is distractions. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (TLB).

Here are a few of the many things that may be distracting me from my life mission:

The expectations of others. I’ve got to decide who I’m going to please first in life. I can only have one “number one.”

Hobbies. There’s nothing wrong with having hobbies. But if they distract me from the most important things, then I need to let them go.

My past. Maybe I haven’t let go of my past, and I’m holding on to guilt, resentment, or grief. Here’s the problem with that: When I’m stuck in the past, I can’t get on with the present, and I certainly can’t get on with God’s future for me. My past is past. It’s over! So let it go.

What do I need to let go of? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is helpful” (HCSB). What does that mean? Many things aren’t necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary. Life is often a choice between “Am I going to do something good?” or “Am I going to do what’s best?”

If the devil can’t make me bad, he’ll make me busy. He’ll get me so busy that I don’t have time for the important things, like ministry, mission, and time alone with God.

I can’t do it all. So do what matters most! Simplify life and eliminate distractions so God can use me.

In summary, If I let myself get distracted from the work he plans for me, I won’t be fit for the Kingdom of God. People, including myself, want to be used by God, but they’re too busy with their own agendas, plans, dreams and ambitions, not leaving any time to give to God. If I’m serious about being used by God, I need to ask, “Lord, what do I need to let go of? What do I need to cut out?  What barriers are holding me back, keeping me from running the race you have planned. Some of the biggest barriers are distractions such as: The expectations of others. I need to decide who I’m going to please first in life. My Hobbies. But if they distract me from the most important things, then I need to let them go. My past, holding on to guilt, resentment, or grief. When I’m stuck in the past, I can’t get on with the present. What do I need to let go of? Many things aren’t necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary. Life is often a choice between “Am I going to do something good?” or “Am I going to do what’s best?” If the devil can’t make me bad, he’ll make me busy. He’ll get me so busy that I don’t have time for ministry, mission, and time alone with God. I can’t do it all. So do what matters most! Simplify life and eliminate distractions so God can use me.

What does Jesus want from me? Total dedication, not half hearted commitment. I can't pick and choose among Jesus' ideas and follow him selectively; I have to accept the cross along with the crown. I must count the cost and be willing to abandon everything else that has given me security, without looking back. With my focus on Jesus, I should not allow anything to distract me from following him.