My Three Biggest Spiritual Distractions & How I Try To Overcome Them

I have been very sick these past few days, mostly sleeping trying to help my white blood cells defeat the flu.  I have very little energy to leave my bed and so I have been confined underneath blankets and pillows with my doggy companion beside me… Yesterday, I managed to read a chapter in a book about Saint Teresa of Avila where it mentions her being ill and using the forced time of rest to nurture her spirituality.  In fact, many bedridden saints have had the greatest conversions during moments of illness.  So, I thought as I had to cancel my events yesterday to repose – what are my distractions?  What keeps me from living my Catholic faith more authentically?  I asked these questions because I realized that as Christians we need to constantly evaluate our relationship with God.  It’s time for me to go to confession and as I started to do my examination of conscience in my bed I realized that the Sacrament of Reconciliation helps us to (at least once a year) look at our lives and think: "how can living our faith improve?"  For me it begins by naming my distractions.  

Too Much Activity.  Getting involved in attending event after event or dedicating too much time to my eBay store.  Lately, I have become selective when it comes to the events that I attend, but I have been spending a lot of time in a hobby that is becoming a part time job.  Between the thrift shopping, the restoration process, taking good pictures, creating clear listings and mailing the merchandise out it’s a time consuming, energy sucking hobby.   Don’t get me wrong, I love the entire process- but I do get caught up dedicating a lot of time and talent.

Laziness.  Working a regular 9-5 is exhausting and as an introvert there’s only so many hours that I can tolerate being around other people without losing my mind.  This leads me to sometimes just crash when I get home.  After my employment hours I don’t want to work anymore and I get lazy thinking I deserve to rest after a full day's work. Which leads me to the next distraction…

Netflix.  Sometimes my days at the office can be so stressful that all I want to do when I get home is get under the blankets and watch a show on television.  Without regulation this can become a huge time waster.  Especially, if I find a good BBC miniseries, get addicted and have to watch all the episodes in one sitting.  This doesn’t sound so bad- unless it’s a television series with more than one season.  Then I might as well say goodbye to the world.

The above distractions are not bad in themselves the problem is balance.  When I look at how I am spending my time and I notice that I am diminishing my prayer life I realize that I suffer because when I talk to God daily and am in constant connection I notice a huge difference than when I try to fill my needs with a show or a hobby.  I struggle with keeping a balanced life and fall into the cycle of most Americans by spending too much time in front of my TV.   However, I try not to beat myself up or set unrealistic standards.  These past couple of months I have been on a bit of a holiday, so my schedule has been disrupted, but today I start my classes at the Diocese again.  Which means that homework will help me center on matters of faith.  I also make small goals like reading a book a month on some spiritual subject or person.  And no matter how tired or lazy going to Sunday Mass, serving at RCIA and my Franciscan formation are non-negotiables I must always attend (unless I am super sick).  In matters of distraction is good to identify the distraction, understand the cause to work on a solution. 

Too Much Activity.  Laziness.  Netflix.  

I notice that for me "to-do" lists work magic.  I love writing a list and get so much satisfaction crossing items out as I accomplish them.  Or even writing important dates or meetings on a planner; thus, if I make it a goal once a week to spend some time in Chapel visiting Jesus, I know I will do it if it’s on my planner because I look at it regularly.  In terms of laziness, I also give myself a day of the week to be lazy which usually means watch Netflix.  By allowing myself to have downtime I am more productive the rest of the time.  I have a long journey, but I have learned that making the time to be aware of the distractions is half the battle.