Let’s Be Honest With Ourselves

Americans spend roughly eight hours a day consuming digital content on a variety of platforms and devices.

It’s funny that while I actively try to avoid being a part of that statistic, I still find myself on the couch in the evenings scrolling through the same streaming apps only to choose the same show I’ve watched five times (usually The Office or New Girl).

Just this week, I found myself, on one hand, exhausted, wanting nothing more than to check out in front of a screen, while also feeling this deep desire to spend my evening in a way that would leave me feeling more purposeful and intentional. Naturally, as the spiritual leader I am, I proceeded to hit play and watch four episodes of Modern Family. Let’s just say, I don’t have it figured out yet.

The question is, why do we have this deep ache to be fully alive and yet seem to allow ourselves to crawl back into the secluded, lonely, apathetic places we so desperately want to leave?

Well, I believe it starts with being honest with ourselves about what we consume and how that fuels our bodies. How many times have you conveniently forgotten the big gulps, cookies, ice cream after dinner, and frappuccinos you’ve had, only to say “I eat pretty healthy”?

Isn’t it the same thing? We wonder why we have no motivation to live a life inspired and alive in Christ, and yet we forget that the very content and fuel we give ourselves does nothing but inspire the opposite action.

Luke 11:34 says,

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness.”

-  Luke 11:34

We can’t lie to ourselves about what we consume. There’s nothing the enemy wants more for you than a life unaware of the darkness you’re living in, let alone how that darkness even got there in the first place.

Luke is challenging you and me by giving us a responsibility to steward our eyes and our time.

You often hear us at the church reference this quote from St. Francis:

“The glory of God is man fully alive.”

- St. Francis

Luke continues in verse 36 to say,

“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”

- Luke 11:36

I believe Luke is dialing into the source of a “fully alive” life.

Luke reminds us that to experience the radiance and light of Christ, we have to have our eyes open to what He’s speaking through every possible moment and experience we are in.

Does this mean we join an Amish community and only listen to hymns for the rest of our days? No. It means that you as a Christ follower that desires to live a life of purpose have a responsibility to ask yourself, “Is what I’m consuming giving me life?”, and “Am I currently open to the light God is showing me in the situation I’m in right now?”

The more we live with our eyes and ears open to the good shepherd, still small voice, loving father, Jesus, the more we will experience a life fully alive.

DJ Brennan

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