"You have something in your teeth."

So this weekend, I went to one of the coolest conferences I have ever been to. Now close your eyes and picture this -- two thousand college students, all on fire for the Lord, meeting together at the Hilton in Pittsburgh, giving worship and praise to Our Glorious Creator. Pretty awesome, huh?

But to the beginning. The weekend started just great! I got a letter in my mailbox telling me that I wasn't going to be a CA next year. Good, just what I wanted to hear (I realize that it is really hard to pick up on sarcasm in writing, especially online; however, I am trying to make this as blatant as possible). Well, I vented, for about a day I might add, and was going along fine with the way I was right then.

Angry.

Desiring to be somewhere else.

I couldn't stand being around people who were just happy and all giddy.

Distracted.

Have you ever been talking to someone who has something stuck in their teeth? They keep talking to you, but all you can think and concentrate on is, "What did they eat? What is that stuck in their teeth?" All you really want to say to the person is, "You have something in your teeth. Can you get it out before you keep going on." All the while, you miss what the person was saying to you. Your focus was completely on the grain of pepper that you missed the fact that they told you that their mother was ill and was going to be placed in the hospital. Or the fact that they desperately needed your help in finding someone to take care of their dog while they went on a trip. Or that all along, they were calling you for a better purpose (I wonder who would be doing that?)

To my situation though:

Words of wisdom would soon fall on my ears and soften my heart. A wise man pointed out to me the dangers of my attitude and actions this weekend. This was Saturday at about 4 in the afternoon. We were eating dinner, and I had approached him with some questions, none of which pertained to what was going on that weekend and were pretty irrelevant to anything in the near future.

Have you ever had somebody point something out like this to you? It is one of the most trying situations that you can have. He cut to my heart and said (not literally, I should add), "You have been focusing on what is in the teeth, not on what is being said. You're not going to get as much out of this weekend as you should or could."

This being said, I was a little upset for the evening session. I didn't want to be told these things which cut to the core of myself. Music, blah! Saleem speaking, blah! Those around me singing, blah! Not a good attitude to have.

Prayer for openness and to free me of my burdens. That was all I needed. It felt as if the whole world came off of my shoulders. I began to listen, to hear what He was saying to me. I quit focusing on what was in His teeth. That might be a bad analogy, but it will do for now.

The speaker that night was truly blessed by God, and He spoke to me. I was only able to get past the distractions when I came to Him humbly, knowing that I had been in the wrong, knowing that He would take them for me. So, what distractions do you have?

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.