Take a Break

So, I haven't posted a blog entry in roughly 3 weeks. Considering that I started posting only a few weeks prior to that it might appear that I gave in and quit. Untrue. In reality what happened was a question that I have been rolling around in my head. The question is: are you consumed by things that don't matter? I asked myself that question at the beginning of April and I didn't know how to answer it. So I just kept asking until I got somewhere.

Where I got is important, but the way in which I got there is also important. The process started when I asked myself quite simply, "what do I value? what is important? what am I for?" I was caught off guard by these questions because initially I thought I should start to determine what are the things that don't matter before anything else. But once I started down that trail it lead me to begin to name just about everything. So, I learned that to define something in the affirmative by citing all the things that it is not, is a pointless waste of time and accomplishes nothing.

For example, if I want to describe what a Zebra is, it would be best to affirm the characteristics of the Zebra. I say Zebra's have black and white stripes, look kind of like a horse, and have four legs. However, if I began to describe all the animals that are not Zebra's in hopes of eliminating all that a Zebra is not, then I will go on forever and may never actually affirm what a Zebra is. I may succeed at giving a vague notion of what it is NOT, but never arrive at a place that affirms what a Zebra IS. So, I stopped listing things that don't matter and began to write down the things that do matter; things I value, things that are important, things that I am for.

This blog is far too short to write all that I have thought about and written about concerning the things that matter. But, I will write about one thing in particular that matters and describe why I tested myself to see if it was true. 

The thing that matters to me is prayer, reading the Scriptures, and spending time journaling and reflecting on things. I say "the thing" because I truly believe you cannot do one of those without the others. If you attempt to do one without the accompaniment of the others you will have a shallow and truncated experience leaving you with the question "is this even worth it?" Scripture reading without prayer invites interpretation errors; prayer without scripture may lead to babbling and squawking; scripture reading without reflection produces no application; reflection without prayer elicits confusion.

As I concluded that this one thing is what matters most to me, I decided to see how effective I was at prioritizing time to do what matters most. I realized that there was a lot of wasted time spent on facebook, reading blogs, and reading about the Giants. I wondered if that was because those things had become routine and my life was now use to facebook, blog reading, and the Giants? Had I created a habit that I couldn't shake? Was I hooked on facebook? Could I go a day, week, month without up-to-date blog reading? I didn't know the answer and I figured there was only one way to find out. I quit checking facebook, stopped reading blogs, and checked the scores of the Giants game but did little more than that.

I took a break. Terrible words to hear, or say, if you're in a dating relationship, wonderful words of freedom if you're wondering whether or not social media is controlling you. I took a break from facebook, from blogs, from MLB.com. Most people have heard that addicts tend to say, "I can stop any time I want." Well, try it. Take a break. See if you're really in control.

What has happened to me since my break? I have felt less pressure on my shoulders over the last 3 weeks than I have in a long time. I have spent more time reading and praying and thinking which has led to better communion with God. I hear the voice of God more clearly because there are fewer voices that compete with God for my attention. I don't feel so stressed, so scrambled, so strained. The last effect has been most telling - although I can't detect it, the people that I minister to, and with, can. The freedom to be used of God has greatly increased. I have given more time to listening than speaking and the result is that Christ is more present in my speaking.

I have not posted because I have been gone. I went on an adventure with God to see if I was truly free from media addiction. I am glad to report that I am indeed free.