Pay Attention

“Listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down.”—Proverbs 7:24–26 NASB

Paying attention always has presented challenges. Distractions abound, making concentration difficult. Recent studies have demonstrated that this problem has increased in recent years, particularly from social media.

A study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark concluded, “Our collective attention span is narrowing.” Time spent on social media has a negative impact on the ability to focus in the long term.

People simply don’t remember as clearly as they did in years past. Many people feel caught up in the frenzy of sharing opinions and “the fierce competition for novelty.” As a result, they more quickly lose interest in topics and find it harder to retain information.

Many believers experience these patterns in their spiritual lives as well. They find it more difficult to concentrate while reading the Bible. Their attention wanes during times of prayer. They quickly forget the insights from a sermon.

The Bible reminds us of the importance of listening and paying attention. And we are warned of the consequences when we don’t listen carefully. When we focus on novelty, we don’t have the sensitivity to remember what we read in the Bible as we study God’s timeless principles.

Today, ask God to help you become a more careful listener and reader, to help you concentrate and remember. Seek to minimize distractions and make it a priority to focus on His Word while staying sensitive to His Spirit.

Reflection Question: How can you make your quiet time free from distractions?