3 Tips from Conference to Help You Focus More on God and Less on Distractions
I was allowing distractions to take precedence over my relationship with Heavenly Father.
When Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Whatever takes precedence over worship of the Father and the Son becomes an idol,” it was a wake-up call for me.
I want to grow spiritually, but lately, scrolling on social media, resting after work, doing hobbies, or getting a few more minutes of sleep have become default activities, while prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance should be my focus.
Although none of these activities are bad, I was allowing these distractions to take precedence over my relationship with Heavenly Father. It’s so easy for me to turn to them for comfort and solace, rather than spiritual things.
I knew I needed to readjust my habits to make God a higher priority in my life, but I wasn’t sure how or even where to start!
Thankfully, several of our leaders spoke at general conference about ways we give more of our time to spiritual things. Here are my three favorite takeaways:
1.Give the Lord Equal Time
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Whatever is on your to-do list, give equal time, not spare time, to the Lord.”
For me, it’s easy to push off tasks—like studying Come, Follow Me and preparing in advance to partake of the sacrament—into my “spare time,” which, truthfully, is rare. Elder Rasband’s words really hit home for me. I often wish I had extra time for the Lord, but as the wizard Gandalf in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings says, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
I want to make intentional time for the Lord in my busy schedule.
2. Remember You Are a Child of God
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized the importance of understanding the “transformative knowledge” that we are children of God. He said, “I invite you to receive, either for the first time or to a greater extent than ever before, the magnificent realisation that you truly are God’s beloved child.”
Though I’ve been told that I am a child of God since I was little, it’s become a mere fact to me, not a life-changing realization. I took Elder Kearon’s invitation to heart and want to deeply internalize my worth. So right now I’m praying about what being a child of God really means and how I can better see this truth. I’m hopeful this will help me understand both myself and God better and build stronger fellowship with others.
3. Increase Your Confidence Before the Lord
President Russell M. Nelson testified:
“We do not know the day or the hour of His coming. But I do know that the Lord is prompting me to urge us to get ready. …
“… I invite you to take intentional steps to grow in your confidence before the Lord.”
He invited us to build that confidence by developing charity and virtue, increasing time in the temple, and being peacemakers. I think that as we intentionally try to build that confidence through the attributes he listed, we will naturally be prioritizing God in our lives.
After listening to these invitations, I want to prioritize God by putting Him first in my day. I am setting goals to increase my confidence before the Lord and not allow distractions like social media to cut into my relationship with Him. I’m making temple appointments and trying to make my prayers more focused and meaningful.
While making God a priority in my life takes extra energy, I know that He takes my effort into account. He understands how difficult it can be in a busy and distracted world to focus on what’s most important. He sees my efforts, and I know He will help me deepen my relationship with Him and Jesus Christ.
How will you make God a higher priority in your life?