So...this post is not for a "Yay me!" but rather a "Yay Jesus!" Let me put a disclaimer on this that for me to tell you to exorcise TV and other media from your life would be borderline if not fully legalistic. That is not in any way my purpose. If God lays it on your heart, convicts you in some way, GREAT, but everyone's struggles are different!
I finally deleted my Netflix account. What started out as a self-deceptive "Hey! We don't have cable, so I'm going to give myself relatively cheap access to movies and TV just for those few and in-between times that I'll watch it!" Syke. The first week I had it, I made it through the entire first season of 24. As legit as Jack Bauer is, Netflix became an escape. If I had a hard day at school or work, I would drown myself in a few hours of mindless fiction. Even on the weekends, I would just fill my free or studying time with it. And I'm not bashing fiction material. I'm really not-I believe there is merit to seeing what's going on in the world in order to relate and in moral lessons. But REALLY, what purpose was I serving by filling my mind with (usually) crap? Romans 12:2--"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Paul says RIGHT there-the conforming of our actions is twisted by what we are putting into our head, both for bad and for good. Anyway, I started thinking about the pros and cons...what benefits was I gaining? Was it becoming a sin struggle in any way? What could I gain by nixing it? It was definitely becoming a sin struggle for me--I was wasting time where I could have been seeking the Lord, engaging with community, or just taking care of school, fitness, etc. And it was in a way addicting-I was going to turn my brain off instead of going to the Lord with struggles, trials, weariness. But it had to change, and literally the only thing that was keeping me from it was the idea that if I wanted to watch a movie with friends, I couldn't supply it...literally. How ridiculous is that? ALSO, I really want to try to support a kid through Compassion International. Why not give up little things every month in order to take care of a kid's every earthly need in Jesus' name? HELLO! So I nixed it! I'm totally excited to see how my life will change without me wasting it.
Also, I just had to share a NEAT-O little deal God did in my life this morning. Driving back Saturday from vaca/home, I was just like "Lord....I really don't want to go back to work." Don't get me wrong, I can fortunately say that I truly love my job as well as the people that I work with. But you know--being lazy is a lot of fun. And I question sometimes whether or not the Lord is truly using me there! Well, this morning, a gentleman from Verizon came in to fiddle with our phone lines. I did what I would do for any other person coming into the office-I walked him back to who he needed to speak to, asked him how his weekend was, assured him that it would be no bother to me for him to use my phone to check it, offered him a drink, and said he was great after he fixed the phones. On his way out, he said goodbye and turns to me and with hands outreached. Then, "You are just such a nice lady. Really, you just have such a great personality. If you keep that up, you will really change peoples' lives." and pats his chest in earnest. WHAT?! I sat at my desk for the next few minutes on the verge of tears. What a COOL God that He tells me, "Kate...you're in an 8-5 secular workplace, but I can still use you mightily...because I am GOD. You are Israel. Seek me, love me, follow me. Be diligent in the tasks I have given you, no matter what they are."I just felt so graced and encouraged and uplifted. It was such a gift to hear God so clearly through the voice of the Verizon guy. And He challenged me too...if that tiny little bit of obedience can be used, what about the big things? If you are struggling with life being mundane, take joy. Seek Him in everything--do it as if you were doing it for Jesus, not because you think it'll make Him happy, but because it will bring YOU joy.
Shalom,
Kate
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