Articles
Moving Things Aside
I searched the internet for "things that get between us and God", and lots of people had ideas. Some of the results were:
10 Things that can distract us in our walk with God
5 Things that cause us to drift spiritually
Two obstacles to a relationship with God
Four barriers to getting through to God
and the list went on and on.
It is hard to maintain a focus on God, even if we have set that as our mission in life. Money, media & entertainment, relationships, our normal routine, our jobs and our hobbies are just a few from those lists. One writer suggested church even gets in the way, and after he explained, he might be right. It may be possible to be so tied up on church activities that we neglect to actually pursue God, although I'd prefer believing that working for the church would bring us closer to Him.
Other writers suggested our affections are not focused properly, discouragement gets in the way, and several suggested that money, being the root of all evil, was ultimately the largest problem we have.
Still other writers said we can't seem to move sin aside, or perhaps something in our past. Grudges and anger set up shop in our lives and keep God at bay.
I'd suggest that all of these are applicable as we look at things that get in the way. One writer suggested that it is "we, ourselves, us" that get in the way because of some of the above and other reasons as well. We basically refuse to move aside and let God work. Again, that sounds logical in some circumstances.
Distractions of all shapes and sizes flood our lives, and we have to deal with them if we intend to pursue the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a constant battle to grow our faith, get rid of the things that hinder us, and avoid idolatry. The apostle Paul says, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." (Col 3:5) We risk drifting away every time anything gets between us and God, even a little bit.
Today, are there things between you and God that keep you from the relationship you desire? Saying we need to get rid of them is easy. Doing it is hard! As we examine our faith, let us remember it is a kinship with Christ and our Father, a trust, a deep relationship that we can strengthen through knowledge and prayer. The better we know Christ and the more we talk to the Father, the easier it is to remove and keep away those things that come between us.
