Change is hard, I’ll say. Show me someone who says it isn’t and I”l say they are a liar. I’ve been spending some quality time with my babe and also just deepening my relationship with God, which has bought about some lessons in living I need to learn.
The issue at the moment is that of materialism. These days it’s all about what people have, and what kind of house they are going to buy, the latest car, and so forth. I know, the critical among you may comment that the bike thing in the previous posts is wrong, but let me explain :
The bike will be second-hand. It will be cheaper to run than a snazzy sports car, go just as fast, cheap insurance and so on. It will get me to see my babe when I please. It is not a possession merely for the sake of a possession. It is a functional tool as it were, which I believe is the right choice to make for my transportation needs.
Right, back to the subject at hand. I had tried to psyche myself up for the change from singleness to being in a relationship, and this has still proved hard. It is a challenge of both lifestyle and learning. A lifestyle change because you have to think of someone else when deciding things. A learning change because the lifestyle change can take time, and I may get it wrong from time to time.
I was reading and noticed a particular scripture that proved a turning point for me :
Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 MKJV
This started a revolution for me, Namely in film, what was I watching that was like this? Not a lot, knowing some of my cinematic choices. I reflected on this, and thought long and hard. Something had to break. Did film have a vice-like grip on me? It seemed it did, and after speaking to my babe about this, I prayed and decided something had to go. Well, not entirely. I’ve kept a few, but it is a vast reduction in numbers, and probably more beneficial watching.
Searching more on this topic revealed that there was another very key scripture that shocked me even more. It comes from the mouth of the master :
And He said to them, Watch and keep yourselves from covetousness. For a man’s life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Luke 12:15
This is a reflection of the Old Testament law, that we should not covet the things of our neighbour. I will admit, I have been guilty of this. Entering into a relationship has bought this into sharp relief. I need to consider the money I earn, how I am to use it. There are many scriptures that also talk of finding contentment in the things of God.
This may be a hard lesson to understand, or comprehend, or even to accept. If God is speaking to us about this, what should we do? The bible does not teach explicitly what films to watch, but there are many guidelines about what we should consider as an approach to these things. Read those, and be informed about what God is telling you to do. One of the great things my babe said, and I considered this very wise :
At the end of the day, if God has spoken to you about it, do it. If He has spoken and you have ignored, and He is speaking again, it means it requires immediate attention. No-one else should tell you what to do exactly. You decide that with God.
Probably not the exact words, but close enough.
