Once stolen, those moments of time God wants to give you can never be recaptured. You can't videotape or record on an audiocassette the fullness of God's manifested power and presence. However, you can choose to never let the enemy steal those moments from you again!

Soon after I was born again, my husband, Mac, helped me work my way out of unnecessary busyness and distractions. He said to me, "Lynne, write down on a sheet of paper everything you're doing right now in one column; then write everything you want to do in another column."

After I did what Mac had asked, he said, "Now look at those two lists and see if they line up."

Do you know what I found out? I wasn't doing one thing I wanted to do!

That may sound amazing to you, but the same thing is true in most people's lives. That's why so many Christians don't experience any joy or peace. They are dissatisfied and frustrated with all the unnecessary clutter in their lives!

Years after making that list, I was still learning this same hard lesson. I was walking in the woods one day, and the Lord opened up Psalm 119:130 KJV to me: "The entrance of thy words giveth light." I was so thrilled by that one truth! But then I read the rest of the verse: "It giveth understanding unto the simple." I realized that God's words give light and understanding to the simple, not to the complicated. So as I walked through the woods, I started thinking, "What can I do to simplify my life so I can spend more time with God?"

I had been walking in the shadow of trees for a while when suddenly I walked out on an open field where the sunlight shone down on me unhindered. I thought, "That's just the way it is in our lives as Christians. The shadows of those trees represent our crowded, busy schedules that keep the light of God from shining through into our hearts!"

Just think about those mornings when you know you have a very busy day ahead of you. As soon as you sit down to read the Word and pray, the demands of your day suddenly start pressing into your thoughts. Soon you become so dissatisfied and agitated that your brain isn't able to concentrate on what you're reading.

What has happened? The enemy of your soul has used busyness and distractions to steal from you a special moment that God wanted to give you. You could have left that time with the Lord knowing Him a little better and walking in an increase of His power and presence in your life. But instead, you get up to go about your day feeling frustrated and "out of whack."

Once stolen, those moments of time God wants to give you can never be recaptured. You can't videotape or record on an audiocassette the fullness of God's manifested power and presence. However, you can choose to never let the enemy steal those moments from you again!

Your Life Is a Result of Choices
It's your choice whether or not you're going to know all God wants you to know or have all He wants you to have in life. God has a big "promised land" of blessings just waiting for you to possess. He has a good plan for your life that He wants you to fulfill. But in order to possess your spiritual inheritance, you will have to make a quality decision every single day of your life to fellowship with God.

Of course, you don't have to make that decision. You can choose anything you want to choose. But it's important to realize that your life will be a result of whatever choices you make. Whether or not you walk in God's highest and best for your life ultimately depends on how you answer this question for yourself: Am I going to let distractions keep me from spending time alone with God?

How much time do you need each day to fellowship with God? All I can tell you is that you need time enough. What is time enough for you? I don't know. I only know what is time enough for me. However, I'd venture to say that if you would tithe your time to God, you would rise to a higher place in God than you could have ever imagined!

You can make the decision right now to set aside time to sit at Jesus' feet. You can "choose the good portion," just as Mary did. But remember—tomorrow you will have to make that same choice all over again. That's how you progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with God!