1 John 2:16 NKJV
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
We live in the digital information age, and many of us spend several hours in front of a screen daily. Can you imagine the number of messages and especially advertisements that we are bombarded with daily? According to marketing experts, the average person sees between 4000 and, 10000 ads in a day. That’s 4000 people trying to sell you something of trying to get you to buy into their ideology and perception of life. The majority of the ads are engineered to appeal to your flesh, your eyes, and your identity and status in life.
It is not uncommon for you to be reading something online and a few minutes later you are way off course watching a video or something else because you were distracted by some ad. Then there is what we call FOMO, the fear of missing out. I recently read an article of a young lady who decided to keep away from social media for some days and on the first day it became so apparent to her how she was addicted to social media because every few minutes she would reach out for her phone to check what people were saying on social media.
That’s the world we live in today, so, how do we stay focused and not allow ourselves to be distracted?
Galatians 5:16-18
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
When you think about it, all these distractions appeal to the flesh. The enemy uses them to spark to life the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.
We must discipline ourselves to walk in the Spirit, and thus we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. We must be sensitive to walk according to the leading of the Spirit and also as Romans 12 :2 tells us, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Furthermore, we must learn to see life from a different perspective and not just do the same things the world does, no matter how innocent they may seem. We must have boundaries, and we must give priority to God and his word.
