Are You Ruled by Other “gods”?
I LOVE (probably obsess over) movies & shows. I can turn the TV on for hours & watch gripping dramas, comedies, thrillers, crime documentaries - whatever is on! It’s a relaxing & emotional roller-coaster experience that I eat up on. It transports me to a fantasy world where I can feel the emotions & actions of other characters in a storyline. My real troubles, for a while, are put away like they don't matter. This obsession started when I was a kid & grew through teenage years. I would fantasize of Hollywood, working with famous actors & actresses, being in these exotic places. I would dream of the success & wealth of fame. But when life got harder, those movies were not as perfect as I thought I had imagined. Life doesn’t have a fantasy-tale ending. Entertainment is a distraction to real life problems. I heard this superstar, Jim Carrey say, "I think everybody should get rich & famous & do everything they ever dreamed so they can see that it’s not the answer.” I think he was right.
My craze with movies went away to alcoholism later in life, but I was filled with brokenness with alcohol, never thinking of filling me up with Christ. My addictive personality was looking for all of the wrong places. My time & thought process was consumed with my selfish desires, not what God made me for. Maybe you have habits or dependencies that hinder your time with Jesus. Maybe you obsess over social apps, games, food, shopping, internet, even work or children - the list goes on. Perhaps, you need to cut time down on these things & delegate it to the Lord.
These verses have been on my heart recently:
“You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods & worship them.” - Deuteronomy 28:14
“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents & foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” - 1 Peter 2:11
“We are instructed to turn from godless living & sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, & devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God & Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” - Titus 2:12-13
I’ll always love movies. But I need to watch my time & my mind more on God’s plan in my life, not action on the TV. I’m not saying we should cut our hobbies & interests out of our lives, but there’s so many things that block our view from the Lord. Cutting down on your time on these habits & turning to God is key to your relationship with Him.
So, do you have other “gods” currently in your life? Can you carve more time with your relationship with God? Do you have a person in your mind who needs to hear about Jesus? These are good questions to ponder. Perhaps you need to get the Bible out more often, or start a group study. Maybe you want to be the hands of Jesus, sharing hope & salvation to all who want it. Show freedom & hope to others, how He changed your life for better. Remember, you were broken until God showed up. Be a light to others who are searching for the true answer.
