Undistracted: Standing Firm in the True Gospel

I recently started a study in Galatians with a friend, and right away in chapter 1 Paul wastes no time—he jumps straight into rebuke and correction about holding fast to the one true gospel. He also asks the piercing question:

“Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”Galatians 1:10

That question has been weighing on me. Who are we living to please—God or man?

We are in a season where I believe the Church of Jesus must put away distractions like never before. It’s almost as if God is amplifying all the noise, opinions, and competing voices in this hour—not to overwhelm us, but to test whether we will stop and truly listen to Him.

In Galatians, Paul’s urgency is clear: there is only one gospel. And anything that shifts our focus from Jesus, no matter how polished or convincing it may seem, is a distraction. That truth feels especially alive for me right now.

But here’s the key: staying undistracted isn’t about willpower. It’s about posture. We must humbly submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth—who teaches us God’s Word and shows us how to apply it directly to our everyday lives. When we remain moldable, like children in the Father’s hands, we stay positioned to be corrected, pruned, and led by Him.

And part of that molding is learning to live for the audience of One. Sometimes the greatest challenge isn’t ignoring the voices of the world, but letting go of the pressure to please even good people—friends, mentors, leaders, or family members. Their voices may carry weight, but they can never take the place of God’s. Our calling is to obey Him above all else, even when it means disappointing people we love.

Our prayer has become simple:

“Lord, help us to be undistracted. Help us to stay focused on the true gospel. Help us to be unwavering in our faith and in the assignment You’ve placed before us.”

But praying that prayer also means allowing God to reveal what needs attention. Sometimes that looks like pruning—cutting away habits, relationships, or thought patterns that keep us distracted. Other times it means realigning our priorities so that we’re living for what truly matters.

Now is the time for God’s people to be focused, bold, and unshakable. The world does not need a church swayed by culture or diluted by compromise. It needs a church that speaks the truth in love, that stands unwavering in what God has asked us to do, say, and be in this hour.

May we be that people—set apart, undistracted, humbly submitted to the Spirit, and fully devoted to pleasing God alone.

Pastor Sarah Bell