It happens weekly. I am preaching, and something happens that is a distraction. They come in all forms. Some weeks, it is a cell phone, while other weeks, it is someone going to the bathroom, a child crying, a loud noise, someone walking around, or a hundred different things. In over thirty years of preaching, I think I have seen almost everything while trying to deliver a sermon.

In some senses, it doesn’t usually bother me. I am focused on what I am going to say, and I will be able to get the words out. What bothers me is how it impacts other people. I can watch from the stage as all the eyes look in one direction. The heads will all swivel, and at that moment, I know that no one is hearing what I say. It could be the most valuable piece of information, but it has little impact while everyone is watching little Johnny crying while he dumps his candy on the floor.

What I have come to believe is that our enemy, the devil, will try to use any means necessary to keep the word of the Lord from impacting lives. In fact, in Mark’s account of Jesus’ parable of the soils, he says, “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” (Mark 4:15)

Lately, I am starting to approach distractions with less disdain and more prayer. Evil wants to use everything, including Johnny’s candy, to snatch the word of the Lord from people’s lives. Now, each week, in my prayers, I include the worship team and the people running the projection system, but I am also asking God to eliminate distractions from the crowd.

I think any public speaker will tell you how they hate distractions, but instead of complaining, I am using it as an opportunity to pray. I hope you will join me.