Hungry for Distraction

I kneel to pray, but my mind resists stillness. A cold breeze across my feet, the faint creak of the house, a thought about a package that should have arrived yesterday each distraction pulls me away from the presence of God. My words start strong, “Our Father who art in heaven…” but soon scatter like leaves in the wind. What happened to the peace I once knew in the quiet? Why has it become so hard to simply be still with Him?

The truth is that our hearts, even redeemed hearts, easily grow restless. We fill our days with noise, busy schedules, and glowing screens, often without realizing we are starving our souls of the stillness required to truly hear God’s voice. As Blaise Pascal once observed, “I have often said that the sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.” This is no less true for believers than for the world.

The Noise That Crowds Out God

Pascal understood why so many fear silence. In stillness, uncomfortable truths rise to the surface our fragility, our mortality, our deep need for God. Without the gospel, the quiet can feel suffocating, so the world seeks endless diversion. Yet even for Christians, who know the hope of eternal life, busyness and distraction can creep in like weeds, choking out the time we once reserved for God.

The “quiet times” we once cherished may now feel heavy with distraction or even guilt. We sense that the vibrant connection we once had with our Creator is harder to access. But why? Three common dangers often threaten our solitude with God.

1. A Friendly World That Competes for Our Attention

The world outside our prayer closets offers countless lures. Careers, entertainment, ambitions, and even good things like building a home or caring for others can crowd out the voice of God if we are not careful. Jesus warned us of this very thing when He described the seed sown among thorns “The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19)

These distractions do not always appear sinful. Often, they come as “good” opportunities but anything that consistently keeps us from God’s presence can become a subtle snare.

2. A Thinning Soul

Over time, when our attention drifts from God’s Word to the constant stream of content on our devices, our spiritual appetite thins. Like a person snacking on empty calories, we begin to crave the quick hit of entertainment rather than the deep nourishment of Scripture. Our ability to linger with the Lord weakens, and solitude feels more like a chore than a gift.

The Psalms remind us that God alone satisfies the deepest longings of the heart “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)

But to taste this satisfaction, we must first push through the discomfort of silence and put away the lesser things that have dulled our spiritual hunger.

3. A Shrunken Faith

When we neglect the quiet place, doubts creep in. We may wonder if God is truly listening or if our prayers are just words bouncing off the walls. It is in these moments that our faith is most tested not by the noise of the world, but by our willingness to trust that God rewards those who seek Him in secret (Hebrews 11:6).

Faith grows not when life is filled with constant stimulation, but when we dare to sit still long enough to hear God whisper, as He did with Elijah “After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” (1 Kings 19:12)

Returning to the Quiet

The question is not whether God still meets us in the silence He does but whether we will return to meet Him there. The world will not make it easy. Every device and every advertisement will tempt us to stay distracted. Yet the invitation remains “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

To reclaim the quiet, consider setting aside even just ten minutes each morning without a phone or screen, opening your Bible, and sitting in God’s presence. Let His Word still your thoughts. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to Him. Like a muscle, the ability to be present with God grows with practice.

Why It’s Worth It

When we return to the quiet, we find not emptiness but fullness. The noise fades, and we begin to sense His presence again the same presence that gives strength to the weary and joy to the heart. It is here, in these moments of stillness, that God restores our souls.

He is still the same God who speaks in whispers, who longs to meet us in the hidden places, and who gently draws us out of our distractions. Will we answer His call?

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