Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

As I drove around a bit on Sunday and Monday I had time to do some thinking as I thought about Paul's admonition in the verse above. 

What gets in the way so that we can be overcome by evil instead of overcoming evil with good? We all know that light drives out darkness, but still we (I) still struggle at times. For me it is a problem of distraction.

I am reminded of an Andrae Crouch song with the same name from his "Pray" album in the late 90's.

“I met a man the other day 
on the road to good intentions, 
He said he’d show me a better way 
to reach my destination 
With a skip in his step and a sparkle in his eye  
He beckoned me to follow.  
And when I asked him what’s your name 
He said “Distraction” 

And the chorus tells us,

“Distraction, All that glitters is not gold,  
Distraction   He’s trying to steal your very soul  
Distraction You know he’s really not your friend  
You’ll be sorry  If you hang with him…Distraction” 

For me the distractions have been little things that have gotten a bit out of control, occupying my mind with trivial matters instead of the one that matter most and so I intend to put into practice the words of the writer of Hebrews –

“…Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12: 1).