The Battle for My Time

Tonight, I struggled inside with what to do with some extra time I had available when my wife and kids had all gone to sleep. Initially, I wanted to watch what I consider to be an entertaining movie (Avatar). Then, as I was getting myself a cookie and milk for dessert (I like my dessert), I had what was basically a battle in my head over whether I should watch Avatar or something that is more ‘aligned’ with the Lord’s will. The battle went something like this, to the best of my recollection about 20 minutes ago…

Avatar would be entertaining to watch.

Put in the movie.

That movie has no value.

Ignore…

Those movies are the world’s skewed theology, disguised as entertainment

Looking through movie book…

This book is basically trash.

I can’t throw these movies away…

I have realized over time that I have a sense of attachment to my movie collection. Maybe that’s what the saying means ‘what you own ends up owning you’. I just can’t imagine myself throwing these movies away that I have enjoyed over the years, and that I identify as some of my ‘favorites’. Movies like Gladiator, Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc…
Got up to get a snack…

You are ignoring my will. You are shutting yourself off from my blessing.

I am trying to work for you, Lord. Would you really shut me off from your blessing?

It’s not a matter of me shutting you off from my blessing. You are shutting yourself off from my blessing by choosing to align yourself with influence contrary to my will.

Ok, Lord.

I reluctantly chose another movie. I chose Louie Giglio’s Hope: When Life Hurts Most. I begin watching and realize the subtitles are on. After fighting with my Harmony remote to get them off, I resign myself to accepting them being on (what could it hurt in a movie like this).

As I’m watching, I’m mildly interested, even though I truly love some of Louie’s work. Then, a verse happens to catch my eye: John 16. The subtitle jumps off the screen in my perception, and I decide to look it up before Louie expands upon it with his own material.

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As an aside, that’s an interesting insight. The Lord led my action tonight. Then, my perception keyed in on something particular. Then I explored it more deeply – directly – rather than passively listening to the teacher’s material.
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John 16:13 says: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth… This is a direct correlation to the belief that this blog is based upon, which I had already updated my Statement of Belief in accordance with – The Bible is inerrant, but the Holy Spirit was sent to guide us into all truth, which means (to me) that ‘all truth’ shared by God is not necessarily contained in the Bible. That His true disciples can be provided wisdom and insight even today – and I believe that that wisdom is meant to be shared.

My reading of that passage led to further reading, including 1 John 2:15-17, which says: Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Interesting that that pops up within 30 minutes after my ‘battle’ over how to spend my time tonight…