My alarm goes off at 6:00 a.m. The moment I wake up, I’m unaware of the thoughts, people, tasks, and distractions that are ready to compete for my attention. I set out to start my day by spending time in God’s Word, but my mind quickly starts to wander. I remember some things I need from the store, so I start a shopping list. I realize that I forgot to place my Amazon order, so I grab my phone and quickly wander down a rabbit trail, scrolling through something entirely different than what I intended to find. Thirty minutes later, my Bible is still closed and my to-do list is double the size it was before I sat down. I might as well just start my day. 

My attention was hijacked. Maybe if I had better boundaries and put my phone on the other side of the room, I’d be able to focus. But is that all it takes to steward my attention faithfully? In her article, “Why Our Attention Needs Stewardship,” Katie Westenberg says, “we spin our wheels in a tug-of-war with our distractions rather than being clear about what we should focus our attention on instead.” 

Our attention is a resource that needs stewarding, but that doesn’t just mean avoiding distractions. We must be proactive and clear about what deserves our focus. We must set our hearts and minds on Christ and the grace he has given us (Col. 3:1–2; 1 Pet. 1:13). By the help of the Holy Spirit, let us wake up prepared for the inevitable distractions that will vie for our attention so we can live in faithful obedience and glorify Christ with our time and attention.