This post might contain content that you don't want to hear
12 April
This post has spent years in the making. I've written it, re-written it, deleted it entirely, and started completely over again and again countless times. If you were to look through all of my draft posts, you would see that there are many posts with the same title or slight variations to the title, some fully written, some half written, and some completely blank. This isn't because I wanted to write a post about a certain topic but couldn't think of anything to write. This is because the topic is something that I am very passionate about, but sometimes my passion gets ahead of me and ends up leaving people upset at me even though I was just sharing my opinion. (The enthusiastic side of me doesn't come out very often, but when it does... run)
Warning: This post contains content that might be offensive to you and be something that you would rather not hear.
It can do one of three things:
1. Convict you
2. Offend you
3. Be food for thought
(You choose which one it will be)
It's different than some of the other things I've posted before, and as nice as I try to make it sound it usually ends up coming across as pretty harsh, hence the reason why it hasn't been posted until now and why I've had so much trouble writing it and putting my thoughts and opinions down on paper. (Yes, it is written on actual paper and on the computer and on my phone, incase you were wondering if I was being serious)
So here it goes. I'm going to post this now, and if you don't want to read it, that is perfectly fine. Skip this one and come back when I've written something else a little lighter. I don't want to spoil your fun. I won't blame you. Sometimes I even offend myself with my ideas (didn't know that was possible but evidently it is) so at this point you are more than welcome to stop reading right here so you don't have to hear my ranting. :) Otherwise, if you continue reading despite my warnings, I hope that you enjoyed reading and will share your own thoughts and opinions with me in the comments section. Enjoy!
I've always been the friend who doesn't care for amusement parks, isn't an adrenaline junky or a thrill seeker, or doesn't really want to play games when there are friends around. I prefer to stay on the ground (no bungi jumping for me) and enjoy heart to heart talks with my friends when I'm with them. I love to have fun.
Don't get me wrong there.
It's simply that different things sound more fun to me, just like other people. We're all different from each other, and it's all part of the journey.
As I've gotten older, more things that the people I'm around want to do are things that either (1) I can't afford to do (2) Doesn't sound enjoyable to me (3) I just don't do at all.
This is not to say that I'm just a lame stick in the mud that doesn't want to or won't do anything at all. There are lots and lots of things that I do do and enjoy doing with my family and friends.
But alas, there are things that we do (individually and as a family) that are different than what the majority of the world around us is doing. For reasons that I have never been able to understand, some of these things bother other people.
*The purpose of this post is not bash Hollywood. I use a movie as an example for a point I'm making about how our society has replaced God with media and entertainment and made those things higher and more important than God.*
Back in January, I went to the movie theater and watched the new movie from the makers of the enamored La La Land, The Greatest Showman. While I didn't see La La Land because of a personal conviction, I did purchase a movie ticket and watch the entertaining and exciting film about P. T. Barnum. After the movie was over and I went home, the catchy music was stuck in my head for days.
Literally.
Days.
In theory, there is nothing wrong with the exciting and dramatic film. It's real, historic events after all. It's entertaining, the music draws you into the movie and makes your heart pound with excitement, and it's so colorful and active that you can't look away. (This is how most movies are, aren't they?)
As I was thinking about the music after the fact, though, something struck me as wrong about some
of the words in one of the songs.
It can do one of three things:
1. Convict you
2. Offend you
3. Be food for thought
(You choose which one it will be)
It's different than some of the other things I've posted before, and as nice as I try to make it sound it usually ends up coming across as pretty harsh, hence the reason why it hasn't been posted until now and why I've had so much trouble writing it and putting my thoughts and opinions down on paper. (Yes, it is written on actual paper and on the computer and on my phone, incase you were wondering if I was being serious)
So here it goes. I'm going to post this now, and if you don't want to read it, that is perfectly fine. Skip this one and come back when I've written something else a little lighter. I don't want to spoil your fun. I won't blame you. Sometimes I even offend myself with my ideas (didn't know that was possible but evidently it is) so at this point you are more than welcome to stop reading right here so you don't have to hear my ranting. :) Otherwise, if you continue reading despite my warnings, I hope that you enjoyed reading and will share your own thoughts and opinions with me in the comments section. Enjoy!
Where is the fun in not having fun?
Like my title?
Thanks, me too.
I've always been the friend who doesn't care for amusement parks, isn't an adrenaline junky or a thrill seeker, or doesn't really want to play games when there are friends around. I prefer to stay on the ground (no bungi jumping for me) and enjoy heart to heart talks with my friends when I'm with them. I love to have fun.
Don't get me wrong there.
It's simply that different things sound more fun to me, just like other people. We're all different from each other, and it's all part of the journey.
As I've gotten older, more things that the people I'm around want to do are things that either (1) I can't afford to do (2) Doesn't sound enjoyable to me (3) I just don't do at all.
This is not to say that I'm just a lame stick in the mud that doesn't want to or won't do anything at all. There are lots and lots of things that I do do and enjoy doing with my family and friends.
But alas, there are things that we do (individually and as a family) that are different than what the majority of the world around us is doing. For reasons that I have never been able to understand, some of these things bother other people.
*The purpose of this post is not bash Hollywood. I use a movie as an example for a point I'm making about how our society has replaced God with media and entertainment and made those things higher and more important than God.*
Back in January, I went to the movie theater and watched the new movie from the makers of the enamored La La Land, The Greatest Showman. While I didn't see La La Land because of a personal conviction, I did purchase a movie ticket and watch the entertaining and exciting film about P. T. Barnum. After the movie was over and I went home, the catchy music was stuck in my head for days.
Literally.
Days.
In theory, there is nothing wrong with the exciting and dramatic film. It's real, historic events after all. It's entertaining, the music draws you into the movie and makes your heart pound with excitement, and it's so colorful and active that you can't look away. (This is how most movies are, aren't they?)
As I was thinking about the music after the fact, though, something struck me as wrong about some
of the words in one of the songs.
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for
Been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor
And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind
And all that was real is left behind
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer
Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over
It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open
It's a preacher in the pulpit and you'll find devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall
It's holding all that you know, so tell me do you wanna go?
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
It's blinding, outshining anything that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're calling and you wanna go
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
It's blinding, outshining anything that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're calling and you wanna go
Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, intoxicating you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be
I underlined the parts of the song that bothered me. When I think about it, the whole song is a little disturbing. It's talking about entertainment being the thing that consumes us. It's taking over you, so basically just give in and let it hypnotize you because it doesn't matter what happens after the fact because it's freedom, so just leave the real world behind and let your self be "intoxicated" (quote on quote) because who really cares, right?
But the part of the song that disturbed me the most was this:
It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need
And it's here right in front of you
This is where you wanna be
What do we want?
God.
What do we need?
God.
Where does our freedom come from?
God.
Where does our freedom come from?
God.
Not entertainment.
Not doing as many new, cool things as you can and placing fun higher than God.
There is another song in the movie that talks about how life without the entertainment is boring and miserable.
There is another song in the movie that talks about how life without the entertainment is boring and miserable.
I would even go so far as to say that this song, and really the entire movie is anti-God. If we're all honest here, entertainment is the god in this movie.
This is just one example out of many that shows what the world has done.
We have taken God off of His throne and replaced it with entertainment and money and how much fun we can have.
Just like in the movie, God isn't the focal point of our society anymore. Instead, it's the media gods. The entertainment gods.
Just like in the movie, God isn't the focal point of our society anymore. Instead, it's the media gods. The entertainment gods.
But the purpose of this post isn't to bash Hollywood, even though I believe that we need to seriously consider the fact that most of what comes out of there actually is against God. Each person should prayerfully consider what they are allowing themselves to see and if we should really be doing things or watching things that go against God and His character and promote bad morals.
That is between you and God. Will I watch the movie again? Probably not.
I used this mainstream movie as an example to show how far our society has fallen to where entertainment and fun are the most important things in life.
Let me break some sad new to you.
They aren't.
As much as we love it, as much as we tell ourselves we need it, much of the entertainment and media that we have today borders dangerously close to blatant and outright rejection, sometimes hatred, of God.
I had somebody tell me once that fun is the most important thing in life. That nothing mattered more than having fun, and in fact, the most important thing to God was that we just enjoy life and have as much fun as we can possibly have. They also told me that fun equaled joy, and that God wants us to be joyful so that means He wants us to have all the fun we could have.
This is false.
It shouldn't take much for somebody to see that, especially someone who follows after God.
Fun is not the most important thing in life.
God is the most important thing in life.
Our lives should be centered around God, not having as much fun as possible.
Fun does not equal joy.
If going after the pursuit of fun and always trying to do the next fun thing is what brings you joy, then that's really sad. God doesn't want us to constantly be in pursuit of the next cool, fun and entertaining thing we can do. He wants us to be in pursuit of Him! Life isn't about us; it's about bringing glory to God. In fact, I would go so far as to say God doesn't really care that much about fun and entertainment. You can enjoy life without having the pursuit of fun be the center and most important thing of your life.
Fun does not equal joy.
If going after the pursuit of fun and always trying to do the next fun thing is what brings you joy, then that's really sad. God doesn't want us to constantly be in pursuit of the next cool, fun and entertaining thing we can do. He wants us to be in pursuit of Him! Life isn't about us; it's about bringing glory to God. In fact, I would go so far as to say God doesn't really care that much about fun and entertainment. You can enjoy life without having the pursuit of fun be the center and most important thing of your life.
The idea of fun is a western civilization thought made up to distract you from doing what God wants you to do and fulfilling the purpose He has for you life. If we would spend our time thinking about all the things that God loves instead of all the things that the world loves, we wouldn't need to be constantly entertained.
The pursuit of fun is selfish and convoluted and distracts you from God's Word.
Seeking worldly activities isn't what God calls joy. It isn't what God tells you to do.
Entertainment distracts us from the plan that God has for our life and dulls our minds to hearing God's voice.
Entertainment distracts us from the plan that God has for our life and dulls our minds to hearing God's voice.
What does it mean to muse? It means to think on, to meditate.
The inverse of that is amuse, which blanks your mind out and makes you stop thinking. Ever said that you needed to just "stop thinking" so you went and got on your social media or turned the TV on and stared at a screen for the rest of the day? I think you get my point.
It says that in the end times that the love of the hearts of many will grow cold. Something very frightening in our society is how we are numb to really horrific things like war and death. We can play nightmarish video games and watch horror flicks and not even be fazed. In fact, we need something more intense. We have been numbed and hypnotized, and now all we need is more, more, more. More of what? Fun. Entertainment. A bigger thrill. It's discontentment.
We need to stop with the need for more. We need to
re-evaluate what fun is.
We need to stop making "fun" the most important thing in our worlds and start filling ourselves up with more of what's true. We need to fill ourselves up with the things that God loves and do the things that God want us to do. It's time to stop being numb and become full of love and passion and be on fire for God. It's time to find our callings and turn from the things of this world to the things of God.
Start filling your mind up with the things that are true and noble and right and pure and lovely and praiseworthy. These are the things that the Father wants us to be meditating and dwelling on.
The purpose of this post is not to say that you can never have fun and you can never engage in a little entertainment. Having fun isn't bad. It becomes a problem when the pursuit of fun and entertainment becomes the focal point of our lives and creates a desire in us that can never be satisfied. When having fun becomes more important than God or goes against God, then it becomes an issue. It's time for us as God's children to take a step back and re-evaluate what our values are.
I hope that if you're reading this now that you were meant to hear this message. I could go on for hours and hours about this and other topics like it (I have other posts that have spent years in the making that I haven't brought myself to post yet) but for now this little tidbit of information will suffice. Leave me a comment if you read all the way through and feel free to share your opinions!
We need to stop making "fun" the most important thing in our worlds and start filling ourselves up with more of what's true. We need to fill ourselves up with the things that God loves and do the things that God want us to do. It's time to stop being numb and become full of love and passion and be on fire for God. It's time to find our callings and turn from the things of this world to the things of God.
Start filling your mind up with the things that are true and noble and right and pure and lovely and praiseworthy. These are the things that the Father wants us to be meditating and dwelling on.
The purpose of this post is not to say that you can never have fun and you can never engage in a little entertainment. Having fun isn't bad. It becomes a problem when the pursuit of fun and entertainment becomes the focal point of our lives and creates a desire in us that can never be satisfied. When having fun becomes more important than God or goes against God, then it becomes an issue. It's time for us as God's children to take a step back and re-evaluate what our values are.
I hope that if you're reading this now that you were meant to hear this message. I could go on for hours and hours about this and other topics like it (I have other posts that have spent years in the making that I haven't brought myself to post yet) but for now this little tidbit of information will suffice. Leave me a comment if you read all the way through and feel free to share your opinions!
Much love,
Emma
2 Posted by Emma comments
Wow... What a post! I definitely will have to think about some of the things that have been said. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate what you said about fun not equaling joy. It just brings it around full circle with there being more to life than just having fun and being entertained 24/7.
ReplyDelete