Have you ever sat down to spend time with God, only to realize a few minutes later that your mind is somewhere completely different?
You start praying, and suddenly you’re thinking about the grocery list.
You open your Bible, and you remember an email you need to send.
You try to be still, but your mind keeps replaying yesterday, worrying about tomorrow, or reaching for your phone.
I’ve been there more times than I care to admit.
In fact, I recently realized just how distracted I’d become when I noticed that I kept my phone beside me during my quiet time—just in case.
Just in case someone called.
Just in case I needed to check something.
Just in case I missed something important.
But what I was really doing was giving my phone permission to interrupt my time with God.
And that made me stop and think.
Our minds are constantly being filled
We live in a world that rarely gets quiet.
We’re surrounded by social media, notifications, news, podcasts, television, YouTube, messages, emails, and endless information.
Even when we’re not physically holding our phones, our minds can still be processing everything we’ve consumed.
Jesus addressed something similar in His parable of the sower. He described seed falling on ground that had been heavily traveled, making it difficult for the seed to take root.
Sometimes I think our hearts can become like that.
Our hearts can become so heavily trafficked that God’s Word struggles to take root.
And that’s why simply adding more Christian content to our day isn’t always the answer.
Sometimes we need to remove some of the noise.
A Bible verse in your feed isn’t the same as meditating on Scripture
I love Bible verses.
I love sharing them. I love beautiful Scripture graphics. I love having God’s Word readily available.
But there’s a difference between seeing a Bible verse while scrolling and actually sitting with God’s Word.
One takes seconds.
The other requires us to slow down.
Biblical meditation isn’t emptying our minds. It’s deliberately filling our minds with God’s truth and allowing it to settle deeply into our hearts.
That means sometimes putting the phone down, sitting quietly, reading a passage slowly, and giving ourselves time to think about what God is saying.
And honestly?
That can feel uncomfortable at first.
We’re so accustomed to stimulation that silence can feel strange.
But perhaps the discomfort is telling us something.
So, what’s distracting you from God?
This is a question I’m learning to ask myself honestly.
What am I consuming?
Social media? News? Television? Podcasts? YouTube?
What am I constantly thinking about?
Work? Relationships? Money? My children? My fears? My past?
And what am I avoiding?
Silence? Prayer? Scripture? Rest? A difficult conversation God may be asking me to have?
Here’s the question that really gets to the heart of it:
What is taking more of your attention than God deserves?
I’m not asking that to make you feel guilty.
I’m asking because awareness is often the first step toward change.
We need to learn to slow down
One of the most practical things I’ve been learning is that focusing on God requires intentionality.
Sometimes that means deliberately creating space for Him.
Maybe you start with just 15 minutes without your phone.
If you can do that, try 30.
Eventually, you may find that you can sit with God for an hour without needing to reach for something else.
Then, as you spend time in Scripture, don’t simply read and move on.
Read. Reflect. Respond. Practice.
Read what God’s Word says.
Reflect on what it means.
Respond to God in prayer.
Then ask yourself how you can live that truth today.
Meditation anchors us.
Just like a boat can drift when it isn’t anchored, our minds can drift when they aren’t continually anchored to God’s truth.
And this isn’t about becoming more disciplined for the sake of discipline
That’s something else I’ve had to learn.
The goal isn’t to become the woman who has the perfect quiet time routine.
It’s not about checking another spiritual activity off the list.
It’s about making room for God.
It’s about recognizing that our time is something God has entrusted to us and learning to use it wisely.
Sometimes spiritual growth means adding something.
And sometimes it means removing something that keeps us from paying attention to God.
That’s where I am right now.
I’m learning to notice the noise.
I’m learning to put the phone down.
I’m learning to sit with Scripture instead of simply consuming another verse.
And I’m learning that focusing on God isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about creating space to hear, receive, and respond to Him.
And strangely enough, what initially feels like one more thing I have to do eventually becomes something that gives me rest.
Because Jesus isn’t asking us to run faster.
He’s inviting us to come to Him.
If your mind has been feeling scattered, distracted, or constantly overstimulated, start small. Put the phone away for 15 minutes today. Open your Bible. Sit quietly. Read slowly. And give God your undivided attention.
You might be surprised by what happens when the noise finally gets quiet.
Want the practical steps?
I put together three biblical ways to overcome a distracted mind and focus on God, including a simple exercise to help you identify what’s competing for your attention.
Read the full post: How to Overcome a Distracted Mind: 3 Biblical Ways to Focus on God →
🌿 Ready to Walk This Out?
Knowing what God says is one thing. Learning to live from that truth is another.
That’s why I created Walk With Me—a private daily Bible coaching experience where we take what we’re learning in God’s Word and put it into practice together.
If you’re ready to go beyond simply reading about renewing your mind and begin intentionally replacing old patterns of thinking with God’s truth, come walk with me.
👉 Join Walk With Me and let’s take the next step together.
Very true indeed. Sometimes if I turn it all the way off and stick it in a drawer, I swear I feel lighter. The problem is I do that like once a year. I think it's been two or three days since I picked up my Bible and so that's a little bit too long. I guess I forgot to get out of my way.
Every time I sit down to read, my mind immediately goes somewhere else! I read two chapters and I have no idea what I just read. I mean, that is so frustrating. It takes me forever to hang on to anything. I know some of that has to do with my brain injury, but it is so frustrating. Any ideas or does anyone else have that issue?? Help!