Fighting Flies Florida has a plethora of insects of every size, shape, and configuration, and many of them bite and are annoying. In particular, the yellow fly has become my nemesis. The yellow fly is a silent flier; the female of the species is truly the aggressor. They attack without warning, slicing you open with their mouths and drinking your blood, much like a dog laps water from a bowl. Not everyone is affected as I am by the bites; for those of us allergic to them, the pain is more than a little annoying. Recently, while on our dock, I was seeking to spend some time alone with the Lord, desiring that intimacy with Him I so desire and long for each day; you will notice I said seeking. Yes, I wanted to hear the voice of my Lord; I wanted to feel His presence. No longer had I sat down than the flies came. I found myself spending the morning swatting and killing flies. No matter how many flies I killed, they continued to come, and yes, they continued to bite. I left the dock in pain, frustrated and wounded, never acquiring what I desired most. Over the past few days, I have thought much about that morning on the dock, and I have been able to deeply relate it to events in my everyday life. No matter how good my intentions, no matter how strong my convictions, the world always seems to distract me away from God. The harder I try and the more committed I am, the more the enemy fights back and the more distractions he throws. The enemy knows that if he can get us busy or distracted, most of us will completely fail to accomplish what we set out to do. So, just what is the answer? Well, I am not sure for you, but I do know the answer for me: "Stop fighting flies; be prepared!” You see, my wife has warned me that I should prepare to go to the dock; I should wear long pants, maybe even use some repellent, and (as most often is the case) she was correct. Me, however, I don’t like wearing long pants, (especially now that I live in Florida), and I don’t like the smell of repellent either, so off I go without any protection! The consequence: frustration and lack of accomplishment and a feeling of failure, all because I was too proud to use the needed protection; so proud as to think I could succeed without it. What if I had prepared, then what may have happened? Well, I would like to think I would have spent the time both the Lord and I desired together and been encouraged, directed, or more. Or maybe the Lord just wanted me to learn that I needed to stop fighting flies. Hmm, much to think about. This one thing I do know, if I prepare myself daily for the distractions this world desires to throw at me, then I will not have to wonder, I will know. I would like to challenge you today to identify the distractions that keep you from intimacy with God. Look for the flies. It may be television, the Internet, sports, money, love, or far too many other things to list; however, no matter what it is, you need to protect yourself from it. We all need to establish roadblocks, accountability, and discipleship; we must purpose to guard our time with the Lord and the study of His Word. If not, we may be fighting flies and not even be aware of it. Just food for thought! Gene Burroughs, Servant/Pastor Navarre FL