Justin Bieber is no stranger to sharing his personal faith battles. Most recently he's opened up about his inability to connect with God constantly due to the presence of distractions in his life.
In a post published on Instagram, the Canadian pop star said: "I don't always feel God's presence, I feel it may be human distraction or maybe I'm letting lies detour me from accessing it. Regardless it doesn't stop me from seeking. Although it is frustrating I'm reminded that relationships take work, even with God!"
Regardless of how strong our faith is and where we're on our spiritual journey, we can all be at risk of having distractions interfere with our faith and cloud our vision of God at work in our lives.
Sometimes the distractions that get in the way aren't easily recognisable. For example, they might take the form of friendships that we hadn't noticed are in need of pruning. Even things which we do to initially bolster our commitment to our faith can become the things that actually end up distracting us from it. Ever suffered from burnout by overstretching yourself contributing to your church? Then know doubt you'll be able to relate to this.
Here are some common distractions that create distance between us and God, and some simple solutions to combat them.
The distraction: The wrong kinds of relationshipsYou surround yourself with negative people who lead you into temptation and don't respect your faith. You won't always have a huge say in who you spend a substantial amount of time with, but where you do it's crucial to distance yourself from those who pose a danger to the health of your relationship with God.
The fix: Friends with faith
Find some friends who share your faith and make regular appointments to spend time with them. Allow them to hold you accountable and point you towards God. Find someone who can mentor you and set up meetings with them so that they can help you identify specific ways that you can stay close to God.
The distraction: The "I can do it all on my own" delusion
Whether it's not making church a regular fixture in your life because you don't understand how necessary it is or pushing yourself to breaking point before even considering asking for God's help, trying to convince yourself that you can do this all alone is a big distraction. Not only are you distracted by the never-ending to do list that accompanies this kind of attitude, you also lose focus on God's greatness to do more than you ever could.
The fix: Make a commitment to a church of your choice
Church is an crucial part of the Christian lifestyle. While your faith can sometimes isolate us from others, the church is the one place where you will always belong. Attending regularly and prioritising prayer in your life will help you to fix your mind on God, feel His presence and give you respite from the things which can steer you away from Him.
The distraction: Other people's opinions
The big decisions that you have to make in life are hard enough without adding a chorus of voices that conflict with your faith and prevent you from hearing what God has to say on the matter.
The fix: Don't ignore God's voice, train yourself to hear it.
There are a number of ways that you can ready yourself to listen to the Lord. The most obvious one and the one that lays the foundation for every other is to read His word. Setting aside time to meditate on scripture, pray and stay silent can all put you in a position to hear Him more clearly.
