I was having a conversation with someone recently. They were saying they were having trouble with the thought of "giving up" some of the things that gave them enjoyment in life, when so many things they loved seemed out of reach right now. Things like TV series that were less than uplifting in their spirit. Or reading books that were not filled with his essence. At the time, I answered a little self-righteously that once you'd given those things away, you realised that they weren't worth anything. That you weren't really giving up anything! It just seemed that way until you'd given it away for a while - like a drug you were better off without!
This morning while I spent time with God, he told me that I do the same thing! That I scroll through my social media (a lot of good stuff in my algorithm, but still spend too much time doing it), and playing innocent little games (designed to keep my mind working - but still too much time spent on them!), using them as a distraction from life that can seem overwhelming at times. Nothing terrible, but the time wasted this way would be better spent focusing on learning more about him and finding closeness with him.
Now, I know when my mind is overwhelmed like this, that the depth of concentration required for some kinds of God-focused connection are beyond what I feel I can sustain at this point, which is why I revert to the activities I've described, which take very little conscious mind effort. And while I was telling him this, this little story from Jesus popped into my mind.
It was just after Jesus had released a man from the hold of an evil spirit. And like he often did, Jesus used it as a teaching moment. Matthew 12:43-45 NIV “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
And the point I felt he was making to me was this - we can't just "give up" these things without replacing them with something alike, but God focused! Don't just throw out the scrolling or the games or the TV series or books that are not so great! And don't just try to replace them with tough mind-focused activities when our brains are searching for light relief! Find something similar, but uplifting, to take it's place! And always with time balance of course!
Just find something cool that you love to learn about and let your mind sit and absorb that for a while! Something you don't have to set your mind to unravelling. Something gentle and freeing! A different kind of TV series. An uplifting novel. Time with a craft or activity that allows for brain rest but feels more in God context!
Find things that warm your soul without the mind strain! Not for always of course! But for when you don't have the reserves for deep focus. Then you'll have the "diet" that's more sustainable! You'll have replaced the "junk food" with healthier "treats". And the junk won't so easily move back in and control your life.
No photo credit
Comments