IDLE HANDS ARE THE DEVIL’S PLAYTHINGS

In the era of microwave expectations and goldfish attention spans, the greatest temptation we collectively face is distraction.

Consider, at all times, our actions are being inspired by… something. And so the question becomes: what your actions, or inactions are being inspired by?

Imagine that God is always calling you toward your best and highest expression.

The best and highest inspiration.
The best and highest thought.
The best and highest action.

Imagine how your day to day decisions might look if you perpetually reached for the absolute best moment by moment.

If you spoke to yourself and about yourself in the best possible light. You took the highest quality actions you knew to take. You consistently made positive contributions to your life each day. You felt for the clearest, best feeling inspiration as often as possible, and followed it…

In my view, that’s what “your highest expression” looks like, in practice.

So, why aren’t we all doing this all the time?

We’re available for temptation.

Remember, getting all juiced up on your connection to God and reaching for the best and highest in each moment would surely keep you booked and busy! You would be tending to your life in meaningful ways, you’d be present in your relationships, and working towards things that satisfy you and enrich your life.

None of this is passive.

But when your hands are idle…
And your desires unclear…
And your mind unfocused…

You’re wide open and available for temptation.

Napoleon Hill talked about “definiteness of purpose” - those times when you are clear about what you want, hell bent on getting it, and willing to move toward it in thought and action.

When you have definiteness of purpose, you become inoculated against the overwhelming majority of temptations. Clear and strong desires give you a reason to connect to God and continually focus on the best and highest.

Any temptation that successfully gets you to stop focusing on, thinking from, and acting from the best and highest has pulled you farther away from God. Temptations that bait you into not making positive contributions toward your desires is the enemy of your full potential and highest expression.

Disconnection from God = keeping the goods out of reach!
Connection to God = letting the goods into your life!

“Idle hands are the Devil’s playthings.”

Respectfully… stop letting your hands be idle. Your desires, mission, and purpose matter too much to succumb to distractions!

Remember, if your thoughts and actions are not being inspired, led, and guided by God, then what are you being inspired by?

I’ll give you a hint… neglecting your life in favor of numbness isn’t from God.

In my personal life, if I ever find myself numbing or procrastinating, I will ask myself “what is this contributing? What do I really want in this moment?” Ten times out of ten, I choose something else - even if it’s not what I think I “should” do.

Positive contributions don’t always mean crushing a to-do list or being productive in the hustle bro sense… but that’s a conversation for a different day.