We all have one. A time munching monster. Something we like to do when we actually should be doing something else. My monster's name is computer games. What's the name of yours?
You have one. We all do. We just don't like admitting it. We like to think of ourselves as excellent time managers. Hogwash.
Yesterday discussion was about quality time with God in a quiet place without noise that distracts you. For that you need time. Time that we probably want to spend on something else. For some reason, there is always something else that appeals to us more than spending time with God. It's a constant tug-of-war between the spirit and the flesh. The spirit is willing but the flesh is oh so weak. Just one more game. Just one more episode. Just one more chapter. And before we know it, the time munching monster has eaten all our time and there is none left for a quiet time with God.
The saddest part is that God is none the poorer. We are.
The worst part is that the monster has become an idol. We give more to him than to God. We love him more than we love God. We would rather spend time with him than with God.
What is the name of your monster? Join me. I have decided to kill my monster.
My monster is Television Series like Greys or CSI... I can watch hours of it. And it does become addictive. I always crave that "what happens next" feeling and then watch another episode. I have managed however to get my monster under control. I use to watch hours and hours of television and now I sit with Two Series of Greys for example that I haven't watched yet. And I have had them for more than a month now and somehow I find other things to do. Yes I do plan on watching them but I will not devote days to it. I have always struggled with giving time to God. I always seem to be busy. Lately I have started to talk to God whenever I feel like it. Whether it be while walking the seven blocks to Spar or while sitting on my couch at home. I know myself when I start making plans about how I can spend more time with God I just get terribly disappointed when something (normally me finding something) prevents me from spending the time that I planned. This morning at five I woke up to find my cat that went missing a week ago standing in front of my door. I cried so much and almost immediately started talking to God about this experience and to be honest I felt closer to him than I would have if it was a formal structured conversation. But I know this concept does not appeal to everyone. I believe everybody experiences God in a different way and therefore our relationships with Him would naturally also be different. We should not try and experience God like someone else does. Find God in your own way. But back to the point... Monsters. As a young child one night I had a terrible experience where in a dream I thought there was a monster under my bed and that it was trying to grab my feet. This experience felt so real to me that for years I had a terrible fear of sleeping with my feet at the bottom of my bed and slept every night curled up to avoid the monster who would grab my feet. I was in my early twenties before I could shake this fear and experience the bliss of sleeping in a proper position. Why am I recalling this memory? Because "the monster under my bed" controled me for so long that it kept me from a good life. Just like that the other "monsters" in our lives like my television series for example might keep us from years of really enjoying life. And there is nothing wrong with watching tv or playing a computer game but when it keeps you away from something that would have enriched your life then it might be time to KILL THE BEAST.
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