3 Ways to Overcome Distractions and Find Christ
I began this conference wanting to know what would help me overcome the distractions I face each day.
As a service missionary, I face a lot of distractions. Since I live at home, I am still surrounded by all the same friends, family, and media. While this can be a great blessing, it can also be difficult to stay focused as a missionary.
We all face distractions each day. And whether we’re missionaries or not, we need to take time to think about what distractions are blurring our spiritual vision.
During conference, Elder Massimo De Feo of the Seventy shared three ways we can develop clear spiritual vision:
1. Focus on Christ and Stay True to What You Know
Jesus Christ was walking with His disciples and others when they passed by Bartimaeus, who was begging near a highway (see Mark 10:46). When he heard that Jesus Christ was near, Bartimaeus cried out to Him. When those around him told him to be quiet, Bartimaeus’s response was to cry out even louder to the Lord.
I often fall into different distractions because I listen to the world’s voice instead of God’s. We are surrounded by many different voices in the media, and Satan will do everything he can to distract us from what we know to be true.
When we cry out to Jesus Christ and are told by others to be silent, we can follow Elder De Feo’s advice: “We need to cry even louder our testimony of the Lord to the world. This man knew Jesus, stayed faithful to what he believed, and was not distracted by the voices around him.”1
2. Don’t Let Distractions Make You Feel Discouraged
When I find myself getting distracted, it’s easy to accept that as a part of who I am. I tell myself that I’m only human, and if I can’t be perfect now, then why try?
Elder De Feo helped me see that I was still wearing my beggar’s coat.
He explained: “The very first thing [Bartimaeus] did when he heard Jesus calling him was to throw away his beggar’s coat.”2
When we acknowledge our dependence on Jesus Christ, we know that we are more than our mistakes. We learn that He can heal us and help us overcome the challenges and distractions that we face in this life.
We can throw away our own beggar’s coats, meaning that we can let go of distractions that cloud our vision. We can live a new life in Christ.
3. Let the Voice of the Lord Be Your Guide
Because Bartimaeus was blind, he had to walk toward Jesus by listening to His voice. One of the best ways for us to keep our spiritual vision clear is to let the voice of the Lord be our guide. The story of Bartimaeus ends with Mark saying that “he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way” (Mark 10:52).
If you could hear Christ’s voice, would you follow Him? If you saw two paths, would you choose your favorite distractions, or would you choose Him?
Rising Up
I began this conference wanting to know what would help me overcome the distractions I face each day. The answer I found is to follow Him. To bear my testimony above the voice of doubt that sounds in my mind. To throw off the beggar’s coat and accept a new life in Christ so that when He calls me, I can rise up and follow Him.
I know that I won’t be perfect, but I can rise and walk toward the sound of His voice.
And so can you.