In my younger days, I spent a lot of time playing and recording music. When trying to create the perfect recording environment, you are always aware of and tweaking the signal-to-noise ratio. That means eliminating all the outside noise from the recording space to get the purest recording of the instruments and vocals. I’m still battling the signal-to-noise ratio every day as I aspire to live my life for Christ.
I need to simplify and focus to eliminate all distractions so I can focus only on the signal, the Holy Word of God. It is the only thing that matters. Everything else just distorts the message and distracts from the goal of walking just as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6).
Look at all the junk that we give our attention to: social media, smartphones, the internet, YouTube, television, music, books, podcasts, sports, entertainment, hobbies, jobs, relationships, and so much more. I’m certain you could add many things to that list. Our minds and focus are fractured. We don’t know which way to go because we don’t know where we’re going, and we’ve lost the ability to think because we stopped thinking and let other people and computers think for us. The world is chaotic, and our brains even more so. It is vital that we simplify and focus to regain some balance and breathing space in our lives.
As technology proliferates, it is squeezing more and more margin out of our lives. Yes, we can find out anything in an instant, but have you noticed that for all the advances we have less time than ever? That less time means less time for everything, but most of all results in less time for God. You must ask yourself what matters most to you? As the time in your life ticks down, what do you most want to spend your time doing? With whom do you want to spend the rest of your days? You will either decide that for yourself, or people and the world around you will decide for you.
Unless we simplify and focus, our lives will get caught up in the rapids of life and sweep us into eternity before we know it (James 4:14). What will we say to God when he asks how we spent the one life He gave to us (2 Corinthians 5:10)? Most of us will not have a clue where all the time went because we were chasing every new shiny object that crossed before our eyes. We run down so many rabbit holes we have no idea how to get back to where we started, much less to where we want to be.
To simplify and focus our lives, we must turn off the noise. Get rid of everything in your life that is not building you or someone else up in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:23; Ephesians 4:29). All you need to know is Him, not news, not Facebook or Instagram. Throw out the garbage polluting your mind and guard against everything trying to take residence in your heart (Proverbs 4:23). Start with reading God’s Word and spending dedicated time in prayer with Him. Once a day is good, twice a day is better, and three times is greater still!
Imagine your life focused on God first and only adding other things where they will fit around God (Matthew 6:33). We live life in the opposite way, filling up our lives and hoping to find a little time for Jesus. That’s both pathetic and sinful. Turn up the signal and eliminate the noise. Simplify and focus. This is your one life, your one opportunity to show your love for Christ. Don’t let the noise drown out your commitment. Don’t let the distractions lead you astray (Hebrews 12:1-2). Simplify and focus; live for Jesus and no one else today.