God's ADHD Children

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Heb 12:1-2 (NLT)

When my son was a little boy, he was diagnosed as ADD. For those that have been under a rock for the past 20 years, ADD is Attention Deficit Disorder (without Hyperactivity). The classification for this diagnosis has changed two, maybe three, times in the past twenty years, but we will discuss ADD or ADHD in terms of how God must see His own children. The writer of Hebrews is talking to a bunch of spiritually ADD people(and us as well)! In 12:1-2 he says, "let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up." Every weight. Sin. Every weight. Sin. Things that hinder our relationship with our heavenly Father.

When I was fourteen, I gave my heart to Lord. I remember it was real, because I wanted others to have the same peace that I had been given. I even started taking my Bible to school with me and if you knew me back in those days, that was huge. I knew I had been rescued and I wanted others to experience what I had come to know to be real. I started reading my Bible every night and every day at school. I started going to the devotions that were held on school campus and even LED one. Huge! I mean HUGE for me.

I lived out in the country in a community called Fiske Union. It was a suburb of the parish seat, Oak Grove. When you live as far out in the country as I did, communities blended together much like a 3 year old's finger paint. It was a great place to grow up. The church I attended was in one of those blended communities called Beulah. It was in that little church that I came face to face with my need for a Savior.

One Saturday night in the Spring of my fourteenth year, I was invited to a party in Beulah community. Since I had been saved by Jesus, I was not on the popular list very much anymore. I had gone from very popular to "not so much" in seconds flat! So, when I got the invitation to go to the party, I went. Oh, I took my Bible! I sure did! And I left it sitting on the front seat of the truck. Now can you say "ADD moment"! I took my eyes off of Jesus and looked at what I was "missing". All my old friends were gonna be there and it was a senior party and I was a mere freshman. Can you sense the dilemma? I went telling myself the whole way there that I would not participate in ALL the party, but I could at least be sociable. And sociable, I was! When I left to go home, I barely even noticed my Bible, but by the time I made it home I realized just how far and quickly I had fallen back in the race!

You've heard it said that it takes years to build a reputation, but one act can tear it down. This is precisely what I did that night. I had been "sold out" to Jesus, until it started costing me something. My attention was firmly fixed on Jesus, until...It doesn't matter what draws your attention away from Jesus, the results are detrimental. If worry, dissatisfaction, prestige, etc. draws your attention away, they have a way of making you hyper-focus. This is another trait of ADHD. When you ruminate on the worries of the day, how can you focus on the faithfulness of God to provide for all your needs? If you are dissatisfied with your life and your circumstances, aren't you spitting in the face of God Almighty Who holds you in His hand? And if prestige and wealth have your attention, how can our God Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills bless you?

Yes, we are all ADHD when we look at it from a spiritual perspective. So, what do we do about it? How can we "medicate" our condition? I tell you, routine is the answer. I have seen first hand that routine can help someone with ADHD, but they were intrinsically motivated to change. That says that first, you must want to change the depth of your relationship with God. And second, just start DAILY spending time in His Word and praying. I suggest you pick a time and make it the same time everyday. Routine will lead you to a deeper relationship. How could someone spend time reading His Word and conversing with Him NOT fall deeply in love with Him?

One last word of caution.......

A rabbit!

Lori