A RIVETED OR DRIFTING MIND

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Ps.119:18
 

You might be wondering how my reading in Romans is working out for me.  The interesting thing I have encountered and do not want to admit, is that staying focused at times is a struggle.  Why is it that I am easily distracted?

  Why is it I can read a novel with riveting mind without having the mind drift at all?

In my eagerness to enrich my inner life, so much is going on in my mind that trigger a million random thoughts.  

Having followed my plan for reading and re-reading has worked out great for me but my fights with galloping thoughts threaten to derail the very words I read,  drifting to irrelevant things.
 One second, I am reading about Abraham and the next minute, I'm singing "Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham.  I am one of them and and so are you so let's all praise the Lord...."

Rom. 4:¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all."

No, I'm sure God is not surprised by a mind that can't focus.

I am not regretting taking Romans out of the box that I had put it in because I felt intimidated by it's volume of theological doctrines.  I have not lost sight of the purpose for such a venture.
Slowly, I am getting a better understanding of it and see how easy it is to become confused by it.
This morning, reading it for the 36th time, I was struck by the saturated statements of God's mercy.
 God is in charge of mercy.  God extends mercy.  The fact that he distributes it is remarkable and extra ordinary.


¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.  ~Rom.9


So, what do I do with my struggles with a wandering mind?
> I Began with a reasonable goal.
>I committed to reading.
>Reading with an eye to see God more clearly.  He is what he is.
>What kind of clues reveal my heart condition.
>Do the clues I find match up with God's character?
>Am I listening? Am I thanking God? Am I just trying to rush through it to get it done?
>I have chosen a form of accountability.  I do not use accountability in a traditional sense but blogging, knowing others will read and I remain on task.
>I make use of a modified inductive study approach.  Each time read, I mark one word each time you read it and  
look for lists.

>I read along with audio to keep me moving along, reading in chunks. It helps keep the mind on track and has proved the best method for me to a wandering mind.
>I Chose a Bible Version I was comfortable with.
>Sometimes, when, I can't focus, I will just copy a verse or begin to mark repetitive words.
Don't stress over the fact that you can't focus or that your mind finds a wandering path.
  The perks of insomnia and erratic sleep patterns, and extremely early risings are conducive appointments to Scripture reading.

A GREAT READ BY challies on the-patient-mercy-of-a-holy-god/