“Set your affections on things above…”

In November of 2018, the Lord spoke to my heart through His Word in Colossians 3:2:

“Set your mind (affections) on things above, not on things on the earth.” NKJV”

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” NLT

There are so many distractions vying for our attention. Certainly, each of us has responsibilities that we must attend to – family, bills, jobs and the like. But what about all of the information bombarding us throughout the day. Perhaps it’s the news or social media. How do we control what enters our lives on a daily basis. I understand that some things are unavoidable, but what about those things that are?

I had to make a very conscientious decision to turn off specific notifications on my phone that would simply interrupt my day or steal my peace. Anytime a news flash would pop up it was more than likely negative. Neighborhood alerts are the worst where in many cases there was a picture or video included depicting a criminal act. I found that my fear and anxiety were being triggered simply by allowing these varied notifications to appear on my phone. Now I am not advocating for the lifestyle of a hermit, but I am offering that we “set our affections on things above” and not allow unnecessary distractions to pull us into a frenzy vortex.

I remember growing up as a child in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and life just seemed much simpler. Of course the internet hadn’t yet made its way into our culture. “Messaging” looked like a handwritten letter in the mailbox, someone knocking at your front door to sell you encyclopedias, a phone call on the house phone…yes…the one with that long cord that could wrap itself around the entire kitchen and laundry room too! Perhaps it was an invitation for a meal and conversation, or maybe a visit from a neighbor. There wasn’t a barrage of e-communication overwhelming our thoughts and vying for our time. Think about how many times a day you check your email, social media accounts, and text messages. How interesting that our phones can now provide us with a weekly report stating our average screen time. Even our phone providers know the obsession. Here is an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune that provides some insight into the dangers: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fam-screen-time-alerts-1204-story.html 

Our phones have gone beyond just being a communication tool, but have also become our wallets, recreation, reading portal, music, and well, you just name it. I am often reminded of these Scriptures:

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

James 4: 7Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, youdouble-minded. 9Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

The world cannot solve our problems nor provide us the peace for which we long. As we abide in Him, draw near to Him, the things of earth become dim and we begin to flourish. Spend more time seeking Him. Make an intentional effort to remove distractions. Find an accountability partner. You’ll won’t regret it!