"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go."
Joshua 1:7-8

In Joshua 1:7-8, God gives us key principles that we can apply in making the transition from our situation to our destinations. The first thing God warns His people of is the danger of becoming distracted. He warns them not to take their focus off of His Word and become distracted by what's going on around them. You will generally encounter distractions when you are getting close to achieving something that will take you to the next level in your faith.

Distractions are designed to take your focus off of your future and place it on your present situation. Some of the most dangerous distractions are those that don't cause any noise but creep in while we're at ease. The apparent ease that we enjoy often cause us to forget about the work that still needs to be done and lies ahead. A period of calm can cause the most diligent of us to become slack in the very thing that got us headed in the right direction. The enemy knows, for many of us, we pray more fervently when we're in trouble then when we're at peace, so he allows a season of "trouble free living". Remember, nothing is truly free unless it comes from God. There is always a cost - even to what appears to be peace.

Often, when we are at ease we allow God to slip into the background of our lives and we slowly drift away from His purpose and plan for our lives. If the truth were told, that is the reason many of us are in the situations we're in now. This is why we must stay focused on where we are going and what we are trying to accomplish.

Distractions also feed of our doubts and fears. When Peter began to sink, it wasn't because he couldn't finish what he began to do. He sank because doubt and fear entered his mind as his situation became more severe. You must be determined to finish what you've begun and be ready to face the certain distractions that will arise. God told the Nation of Israel, "do not turn from it (the Word), to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go" (Joshua 1:7, insert added).

Your success will be found in your ability to keep your focus on what is ahead of you and not be distracted by what is going on to your left or right. The Bible promises, "He will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Him, because he trusts in Him" (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV).