Fighting Distractions When Practicing Spiritual Disciplines

 After my last post, "Are We Too Busy for The Spiritual Disciplines?" I received a good question. 

How do we fight off distractions while practicing spiritual disciplines? There are times when we sit with our Bible's open and find that our minds are distracted. This can result from our own wandering thoughts, a tired mind, or things in our environment (a roommate, phone, etc.). 

Below are five suggestions on fighting distractions: 

1. Make no provision for distractions

We don't have control over every possible distraction. A roommate or spouse might enter the room, coffee might be spilled, a dog might be barking. However, we can attempt to remove distractions such as our phone. Some people, I am told, are distracted by a messy environment. If this is you, try to sit in a place where you can't see all the mess (so you don't start thinking about a "to-do" list). If you have a roommate or spouse, you might need to try and find a quiet room or closet to sit in so they won't accidentally distract you as they slam the cupboards. 

2. Use Background Music if other noises are distracting you.

This one is not for everyone. It will likely require your phone and headphones (so if your phone is tempting, this won't work). Also, some people are more distracted by music. But, maybe you can find some sort of music without words (classical or something like that) which you can listen to while you read or pray. 

A word of caution: Do not use music to avoid silence. I only recommend this when you have a noisy environment that you can't get away from (like a barking dog or a barking roommate). If this is your situation most mornings, you might need to try to find a quiet room or outdoor space (or move the time you do your devotionals). In other words, this is likely not a long-term solution. One of our problems in America is that we never have silence. And that often leads to a lack of deep thinking. 

3. Pray or Read the Bible Out Loud

For some of us, we get most distracted by our own thoughts. Our minds can easily wander to our to-do-list or random things. I have found that praying aloud helps my mind stay focused on talking to God. Sometimes reading the Bible aloud helps too. 

You might also consider using Dwell. It is an app that lets you pick "playlists" of Scripture on a certain topic (like the Love of God). It reads a few verses, and then you can insert a time for silent reflection. This is a way to hear a short verse, then pray in response. Then it advances you to another verse. I use this app when I go on a prayer walk (it is a way to hear God's word and respond while enjoying his creation). 

4. Journal

Like praying and reading aloud, this helps keep your mind and heart engaged. It is great for when you can't pray out loud (like when you have others near you). You can write out your prayer. It will be shorter, but your heart and mind can stay engaged. You can also write out a list of 5-10 observations or applications as you read the Bible. Just get an inexpensive notebook. I suggest this because many of us are apprehensive about writing in "nice" notebooks. Sometimes we feel like we must write well for posterity. Just write in a cheap notebook, and you can keep it or toss it once you have filled it up. It is just a tool to help your heart stay focused on communicating with your Father. 

5. Get Enough Sleep

This is hard for some people (especially if you have physical issues that prevent good sleep or have a baby in the home). However, as much as you can, get good sleep. Cut back on the caffeine during the afternoon/evening. Don't stay up late vegging on TV. That is likely to make you not sleep as well and keep you up too late. A tired mind is hard to discipline and focus. 

These are just a few ideas. I'd love to hear practical suggestions you have found useful too.