This morning, I was thinking about the popular saying "What goes in must come out" and how true it is when it comes to everything in our life.
This is true from the television shows we watch, the books we read, the people we spend time with, the music we listen to, the websites we visit, and every other area that we invest our time in.
As Christian women, we must carefully guard the things that we let into our lives, hearts and minds. There are so many things vying for our attention and many may even seem good or neutral but not all things are equal. While we may not always realize the impact that something will have on our life, we can be sure that it will eventually come out in one form or another.
While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some common pitfalls that we need to look out for:
Books:
Are we reading books that will encourage us in our walk with the Lord. Are we making time to read the Word of God first. For anything else, is it doctrinally sound and does it challenge us to live a holy and obedient life for our Lord? If we are reading things simply for our entertainment and pleasure, how is that time redeemed? Also, we must be careful that we are not reading books that will distract us from a holy walk or will cause us discontentment.
Television/Movies:
Our family has very strict guidelines for the things that we will allow our eyes to see and our ears to hear. If a movie takes God’s name in vain (even 1 time), then as Christians, that movie is not for us. If the movie has inappropriate scenes or the characters dress in a provocative manner, then it should not be something we consider entertainment. If the characters are involved in sin and that sin is glorified, then again, it is not something that would be edifying for us to enjoy. It is far better limit the amount of hours you spend watching television or movies than it is to allow the secular ideals to weaken our faith. The area of Christian films is growing quite steadily (The San Antonio Christian Film Festival is a great example of this) and there are options for movies that are edifying to our faith.
People:
I think this one is the toughest of all! I have come to realize that the one thing every one of us has in common is that we all want to be loved and accepted. We will often do or say things that we know are unBiblical because we fear losing the love of another or because we think it will gain us the love we desire. Think for a moment about who you spend the most time with. Are they people who love the Lord, who live for the Lord, and who encourage you in your own walk? Are they Sunday only Christians or do they truly strive to take every thought captive? If those you surround yourself with those who are not edifying, it may be time to seek out those who will challenge you to grow in Christ.
We have a very short time to live on this earth, so let us make every moment count for the glory of the Lord. If we allow the bad in, the bad will eventually come out. If we fill our life with the things of God, this will be displayed by the fruit we bear.
While there is so much more I could share on this topic, I do hope that this will give you an opportunity to stop and consider what you are putting into your life and the the effect it has on your relationship with the Lord.
May the Lord bless you!
Love,
Dana
myhighcalling 