(December 19, 2024) Mama Lava shares another precious insight…

Have you noticed your attention span getting shorter?

Whether it’s the constant scrolling we do from one topic to another on social media, or the short-format videos and stories we’re bombarded with, general consensus suggests the human mind is losing its ability to focus on one thing for long. Is it becoming more difficult for you to overcome distractions?

Recently when taking a walk, I was chatting with the Lord as I went, and He gave me valuable Encouragement from the Tangled Mess of a web-encased fruit tree. But I would like to tell you about another tale, this one less victorious, which played out that same morning.

Short Attention Span
I had mapped from my hotel to a store I wanted to visit, several miles away. Because I was in unfamiliar territory, I paid close attention to the walking directions as my iPhone prompted me. I read every street sign, knowing I would soon be turning left.

Then I saw something that made my heart sing.

Just ahead of me was a plumeria tree in bloom. It was gorgeous! Was it my imagination, or was I already catching a whiff of those blossoms? I practically floated the half-block to where they grew in the yard of an adorable cottage-style house.

When I got there the flowers on this plumeria tree smelled as fresh as they looked and I scooped a handful of fallen flowers carpeting the sidewalk! I took a deep breath of their fragrant air and stood momentarily whisked back to the Hawaiian island where I raised our kids. How I reminisced about the vacation I took last spring and thanked God profusely for gracing my walk with such a gift. I chose two fresh, sweet-smelling beauties, one for each hand, and proceeded on my way.

Suddenly, my phone began vibrating incessantly. What was the cause of the ruckus? It was my map app, and it wanted me to make a U-turn.

What? How had I gotten off course? I didn’t remember passing any new streets where I should have made that left turn. But… sure enough. When I retraced my steps, I saw my error. I had been just steps from the street, for which I’d been looking, when I saw the plumeria tree. I had locked my eyes and hurried toward it, thinking only of its nostalgic fragrance and the memories it would unlock.

In light of my realisation, I heard the Holy Spirit impress a message on me— I have a short attention span, and I can be easily distracted. I had been fervently pursuing a specific plan, but it had all gone out the window with a single glimpse of those flowers.

Something Wonderful Distractions!
Are you tracking with me here? Before that moment, I would have categorised a distraction as a bad thing. But this time, I was distracted by something wonderful.

Distractions do not always show up as darkness or sin. They can be anything capable of averting our attention from where it needs to be. I pictured myself just moments prior, standing with my hands full of distractions, thanking God for them, ignorantly unaware I had veered astray.

This time, it was not serious. There were no repercussions from my error and in a few steps, I was back on course. It was a lesson presented without consequence.

I find God does that. If we’re paying attention, we can learn from Him in moments of non-conflict. When we take His messages to heart the first time, we are saved from future pain. Proverbs 1:5 is good advice— ‘Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.’

As I walked on, I surveyed my life. What paths had God placed me on? Had I been focused? Were there instances where I had succumbed to a short attention span? Were there distractions to overcome? Did I need to course correct?

Streamlined Important Focusing
I prayed through the things the Holy Spirit brought to mind.

Yes, I had lost focus in some areas of importance. As per the visual acquired that morning, the distractions had been wonderful things, in and of themselves. They were enticing to me because they were worthwhile endeavours, and I hadn’t realised they’d drawn me away from the goals God had given me.

How about you, my friend? As 2024 winds to a close, can you recall the things God asked you to pursue this year? Have you succumbed to a shortening attention span? Do you need help overcoming distractions?

Do read and remember Psalm 46:1— ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’

Maybe this post is the equivalent of your watch beeping, telling you to make a U-turn. It is not too late. God is our ever-present help, and He wants us to realign with Him.

In fact, as we contemplate fresh beginnings in 2025, now is the perfect time to ask Him to lengthen our attention spans and streamline our focus!

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Mama Lava delights to share openly and honestly from her heart. She sincerely believes in making the big world a bit smaller through caringly connecting, that Jesus wants to remove our anxieties and give us His joy. In her encouragements, Mama Lava regularly tells of life experiences from an unapologetically Christian viewpoint. Link: Mama Lava’s Back Porch (Doses of Maternal Love).
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