How to Focus on What’s Important

We are constantly surrounded by distractions. When we take time to think about our goals, the Lord will guide us in achieving all he has planned for us.

Path surrounded by pink flowers.
PHOTO BY JILLWELLINGTON

Today, distractions are everywhere. Social media, streaming platforms, and time-wasting games surround us, demanding our attention. To complicate matters, not all distractions are inherently bad; for example, school and work—activities that most people view as worthy pursuits—can also take up our time and distract us from achieving our long-term goals. Establishing our priorities has never been harder.

In “Conquering Life’s Daily Distractions,” Elder Kelly R. Johnson shares four crucial steps to overcoming distractions. These steps help us examine our lives and determine what is most important to us: 

  1. Identify what we want out of life. To get where we want to go, we have to know the destination. As the Bible states, “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established” (see Proverbs 4:26).
  2. Act consistently with that desire. When we set aside time to determine what we want to accomplish and align our actions with our desires, we can achieve spectacular results.
  3. Sacrifice things that distract us from our relationship with the Lord. We must assess the things that are taking up our time. If we can sacrifice something to make time for the Lord, he will bless us. 
  4. Make time for the Lord every day. We can get to our desired destinations by making time for the Lord every day. When we prioritize the Lord, he will help us overcome obstacles and achieve our goals. 

Elder Johnson concludes, “Determine if you are doing the things on a daily basis that will truly lead you to where you want to go or who you want to become. Determine what distractions you need to give up to truly come to the Savior and follow Him. Then do those things, and I testify that as you do them daily, you will achieve all that God wants you to achieve.” With so many distractions prevalent in today’s society, we must ponder our futures, prioritize the Lord, and have faith that he will lead us down a path to eternal joy.

Read more about overcoming life’s daily distractions in Elder Kelly R. Johnson’s talk “Conquering Life’s Daily Distractions.”

Source: BYU Speeches 

—Kassidy Acker, Latter-day Saint Insights

FEATURE IMAGE BY BESSI

Find more insights

Discover more about prioritizing the Lord in “Make Time for the Lord” by President Russell M. Nelson.

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