Stayed Focused: What DID Jesus DO?

How Thanksgiving Planning Taught Me to Recognize God’s Nudges and Avoid Distractions

Dec 01, 2024

Have you ever felt a gentle nudge to do something simple, yet it seemed to carry a weight you couldn’t explain? When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was sit down and map out my week. Because I host Thanksgiving for my entire extended family, I rely on thoughtful Thanksgiving planning tips to stay organized and reduce stress. Spreading all the responsibilities out over a month instead of a week makes it easier on the budget and my sanity.

It’s the same every year–A week ahead of time I’m convinced I’ve thought of everything I could possibly need and have it all stowed away in the pantry only to realize a few days ahead of time, I’ve forgotten twenty things.

This year was no different.

As I drank my coffee and planned my Thanksgiving shopping list, I reflected on how often God nudges me in moments like these.

The Thanksgiving Hustle: A Lesson in Recognizing God’s Nudges

It seems like it doesn’t matter how many years I’ve hosted this giant family gathering or how many lists I have with all the details from the year before, I still manage to find myself in a situation where I have to run to the store in those couple of days leading up to Thanksgiving to pick up all of the last-minute goodies.

It would be really easy for me to get frustrated and irritated by the seventeen trips to the store, the copious amounts of lists, the cooking, the cleaning, and the opening of our home to my family. After all, it really is quite a bit of work.

I’ve learned over the years, though, that when God nudges me to do something, the best option is for me to heed his nudges. This annual Thanksgiving chaos reminds me of something deeper: how recognizing God’s nudges helps me focus on what truly matters, even amidst distractions.

While it might seem silly to think about hosting a giant Thanksgiving as a nudge from God, I understand the importance of this in maintaining relationships in my extended family. So, I get why God keeps reminding me to do this.

As the aroma of pumpkin pie filled the air and the chaos of family chatter echoed through the house, I realized again why God nudges me to host this gathering year after year.

How Distractions Keep Us From Obedience to God

So often, we focus on the hyper-spiritual nudges from God. I’m learning the importance of these seemingly smaller, not overtly spiritual nudges as well. These moments are teaching me the importance of spiritual obedience to God’s nudging—regardless of their size or significance. I might not always understand why God nudges me toward something, but I’m learning I don’t always have to know the “why” to respond with obedience.

It’s interesting because I think we can become really easily distracted when it comes to two types of nudges from God: the giant spiritual callings and the smaller, not-so-spiritual nudges.

For years–decades even–God nudged and nudged and nudged me to write. Even though I absolutely knew God was calling me to write, I found myself making every excuse imaginable.:

I was too busy.
I didn’t have anything to say.
I wasn’t qualified.
I’ll get to it later.
I don’t have an audience.
Who cares what I have to say?
God is using me in so many other ways; this must not be important.
My ministry is elsewhere.
I’m already doing so much.

The list went on and on.

But, I wasn’t just too busy and too distracted to follow the “big” callings, I was too busy and too distracted to even hear God’s small nudges.

I was focused on Kate and her activities.
I was overwhelmed with work.
I was busy taking care of my family.
I was in school.
I was serving in so many ways.

I couldn’t see what God wanted my priorities to be because I was so distracted by everything else in my life.

Photo by Ariel Castillo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-man-reading-a-book-3563697/

Because I grew up in legalism in the church and was taught to believe I had to earn my way into God’s love and acceptance through performance and service, my personality, even now, lends itself to overperforming, overexerting, and overwhelm. Even though I know I don’t have to do everything and God doesn’t call me or nudge me to do it all, it takes conscious thought on my part to not fall back into those old ways of thinking.

Here’s the thing–I don’t think I’m alone in any way, shape, or form.

Slowing down in a busy world is crucial, especially when the pace of life feels breakneck most of the time. Hearing God’s voice can feel impossible when we’re traveling at breakneck speed instead of being still and present.

What is possible, though, is constant distraction, chaos, and overwhelm.

Luke 9:51 is a verse we often read quickly, but its depth struck me recently.

Jesus let nothing distract him from departing for Jerusalem because the time for him to be lifted up drew near, and he was full of passion to complete his mission there. Luke 9:51 TPT

As I’ve been reading about Jesus’s life and ministry in Luke 9, it’s struck me over and over again how Jesus’ ministry was driven by his heart to offer hope and healing to everyone he encountered along the way.

This image of Jesus is a different one, though, and it strikes me just as much. If Jesus, with the weight of His mission, could remain undistracted and passionate, what might that look like for us in our daily lives?

Jesus let nothing distract him from his mission. He was full of passion to fulfill his calling.

I don’t know about you, but I’m so easily distracted. Even today as I sat down to write this, amidst the Thanksgiving chaos, I found myself flipping through five different open tabs on my laptop–and I knew I was supposed to be writing about avoiding distraction!

I can’t help but think about how different my life might look if I focused on avoiding distractions and obeying the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit–with both the great big spiritual callings and the seemingly small everyday nudges.

Again, I just think about this movement asking “What would Jesus do” and how we desperately need to pay attention to what Jesus did do. What He did here seems so simple: He avoided distractions and was passionate to follow His calling.

Overcoming Chaos and Finding Spiritual Clarity

In the past six years, I’ve been intentional about living with purpose by eliminating the chaos in my life. I’ve traded in a life of worldly success, constant busyness, and hustle for a much slower, much more deliberate life of purpose.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret–while it was a shock to my system at first, the results have been extraordinary.

But, it takes intentionality.

It takes boundaries.

It might mean disappointing some people.

And, it will probably feel strange at first.

It’s worth it, though, if it means being able to be still in God’s presence, feel his nudges, and respond in obedience.

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-sweater-thinking-4091205/

Living with Purpose: Following God’s Call Without Distractions

What will it take for you to be able to follow God’s nudges with passion and without distraction?

Eliminating commitment
Evaluating priorities?
Scaling back your kids’ commitments?
Saying no?
Quitting the extras?
Scheduling nights in?
Ending chaotic relationships?

The noises and the distractions in each of our lives are different. The results of them are so similar, though.

So, let me ask you, friend, what steps can you take to avoid hustle, eliminate chaos, and reduce distractions from your life? Imagine how your life could change by avoiding distractions, silencing the noise, and following God’s voice with purpose. It might not be easy, but I promise, it will be worth it.

Thanksgiving offers the perfect opportunity to slow down, reflect on God’s gentle nudges, and eliminate the chaos. By following His guidance, you can experience not just a peaceful holiday but a purposeful, distraction-free life.

What distractions are keeping you from hearing God’s voice this Thanksgiving season? Share your thoughts in the comments on Substack.

Reflections:

What’s one thing in your life right now that’s keeping you from saying yes to God’s gentle nudge?
What do you need to change to eliminate the hustle, chaos, and distractions from your life?
What is keeping you from making these changes?

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