It is such a shame today to see so many children, as well as more and more adults, being diagnosed with the so-called Attention Deficit Disorder. Physicians easily throw this deficiency about along with the numerous drugs that go with it. Today there is a pill for everything. We have pills to sleep, pills to wake up, pills to calm down, pills to perform, and now we even have pills to think clearly. It's true that we are what we eat, so instead of calling ourselves Brad, Bill, Barbara, etc., maybe we should just call ourselves Pill. It wouldn't be too far from the truth, now would it?

"But I have to take these pills," you say, "otherwise I am just no good to myself. I won't be able to work or do much of anything for that matter – my mind just wanders off and I just can't concentrate on anything!" Well, congratulations. You just solved your own problem. People who have a hard time concentrating or focusing on one issue at a time think that they have a mental deficiency – and their physician has surely backed them up on this. The real problem at hand simply and honestly is that they have spent too much time allowing their minds to do whatever they want, whenever they want and have failed to apply any real principles of discipline to their thought life.

Peter – Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind ... Ecclesiastes – keep your foot (give your mind to what you are doing – don't get off track or off balance). Being constantly worried (curious, doubtful, afraid, etc.,) about the issues or circumstances that surround you on a daily basis can be a huge culprit. If you are constantly worried about one thing or another (and many of us are worried about multiple things) of course it is going to be difficult to concentrate or focus on life's daily routines. Instead of slamming back pill after pill to get through one day after another, why don't you get rid of the actual problem.

Pills don't take away problems, they simply numb certain parts of the brain for a time so that you are not constantly overwhelmed by your own thoughts. The first step to true healing is to understand that God is in control whether you feel, think, or believe He is or not. You are not in control of much. If you were, you wouldn't be having so many problems. But God is not going to force Himself on you. You have to allow Him to work for you through faith. Faith is the opposite of fear. So if you are full of fear, then you are without faith. There is going to come a time when you will just have to make up your mind how it is you want to live. By fear or by faith. If you want to be free and experience the rest God says we are to have daily, then you are going to have to learn to control your thoughts. You simply cannot allow them to wander all over the place all the time. Satan is all too ready to take you on the ride of your life.

There are numerous exercises you can do to get your brain back into form. Use an alarm clock for instance or a timer. Set it to go off 15 minutes after you begin a new project, reading, writing, cooking, whatever. If you discover at the sound of the alarm that you have been daydreaming and not focusing on what you are supposed to be doing, then start over and pay attention. I guarantee you, before long you will notice several changes taking place. This is, provided, you are actually serious about getting control of yourself again. This is an exercise that can be used with children and teenagers as well. Already their young brains are undisciplined in their thought patterns. Fifteen minute focusing sessions can make all the difference in the world. For them it should not be a matter of "want to" – it should be a matter of "need to". If they are untrained now on how to discipline their minds, think of how bad it will be for them later on down the line. How bad is it for you? And how old are you? Trusting God is the key. If you don't trust in that He is actually "looking" to help you – you may not have much success.

Sorry, but we will not make it in today's society without the proper Support. Satan is trying desperately now to remove religious worship from TV and radio because even the name of God irritates him. That should tell you something. After all, who do you think is urging you to worry about every issue in your life to begin with? Certainly isn't God. Don't believe any of this? Perhaps that's why you're in this position to begin with. Not believing in the devil won't keep you out of his reach. It's your life. We only hope you learn to live it in the peace that God has created for you, regardless of the circumstances. If that weren't possible, God would have never said that it could be so. Every day of your life you will be listening to someone. Who will be the one you listen to – the One that promises you freedom or the one who promises you bondage?

Best wishes.

The Independent 15
April, 2007