A Christian Teens Ramblings...

[abbyluvswilliam]

OK so lately i have felt like the only time i am constantly thinking about God is at Church and Youth Group.......I mean i read the bible as much as i can remember to.....
The other day my Mom was talking to me about Lent.....and i was trying to figure out what i would give up...she suggested T.V......when she said that i immediately panicked as if thinking what will i do without T.V, now that i think about it i am so ashamed that i tohught that cuz its just sooo stupid....i should not care that much about T.V! I really want to feel connected w/ God all the time....not just when i read the Bible and go to Church!! Does anyone else feel the same??
So i am gonna not watch T.V on Fridays or at least try to dedicate that day to spending good quality time with God i hope this helps!!
Well i am done rambling on sorry i talk too much!!
oh yea does anyone think that it would be good for me to fast and watch the Passion of the Christ in the same day?? I have never seen it! I really think i want to watch it on Good Friday.

[inkspot]

I don't know if I would fast and watch The Passion on the same day, the film really takes a lot out of you, and if you were already feeling weak, it might be traumatic. Does that sound silly? But I think I would do one or the other and not both.

I am proud of you for recognizing that your relationship with God is more important than TV! A lot of Christians never get to this point, and so they never really excel at following Christ, never really get to know God -- I think in the Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis described their souls as bland and flabby.

That will never be you, because of your desire to connect with God on a deeper level. Making the sacrifice of TV, and acknowledging that you want to know God better -- this is a great start for developing the kind of relationship you want with Jesus. Bravo!

Christian music may also be a part of it? If you have to travel, you can listen to Christian music as you go, and this may also help you feel surrounded by God's presence. And of course, you can try to read a Christian non-fiction book, such as "The Jesus I Never Knew" or "What's So Amazing About Grace" both by Philip Yancey. They might be too adult for you, but if not, they might help you understand more the nature of God and feel closer to Him.

I also, when I have my quiet time in the morning, write out my prayer in a notebook instead of speaking aloud to God; it is a discipline which requires you to organize your thoughts, and also provides a record for you to look back and see how you have grown and how God has responded to your prayers.

Keep us informed how it goes!

[Narnialuver04]

I don't know if I would fast and watch The Passion on the same day, the film really takes a lot out of you, and if you were already feeling weak, it might be traumatic. Does that sound silly? But I think I would do one or the other and not both.

I am proud of you for recognizing that your relationship with God is more important than TV! A lot of Christians never get to this point, and so they never really excel at following Christ, never really get to know God -- I think in the Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis described their souls as bland and flabby.

That will never be you, because of your desire to connect with God on a deeper level. Making the sacrifice of TV, and acknowledging that you want to know God better -- this is a great start for developing the kind of relationship you want with Jesus. Bravo!

Christian music may also be a part of it? If you have to travel, you can listen to Christian music as you go, and this may also help you feel surrounded by God's presence. And of course, you can try to read a Christian non-fiction book, such as "The Jesus I Never Knew" or "What's So Amazing About Grace" both by Philip Yancey. They might be too adult for you, but if not, they might help you understand more the nature of God and feel closer to Him.

I also, when I have my quiet time in the morning, write out my prayer in a notebook instead of speaking aloud to God; it is a discipline which requires you to organize your thoughts, and also provides a record for you to look back and see how you have grown and how God has responded to your prayers.

Keep us informed how it goes!
Right On!!

[Sunrise]

Do you hear what you've just said? You are frustrated by how difficult it is for you to focus on Godly things in your everyday life....and then in the next paragraph you talk about how difficult it would be for you to go without television.

Those two things are connected, sweetie.

Good for you for giving this sacrifice a chance. Besides being an appropriate thing to fast from, remember that television has a lot to do with pumping your mind full of worldly messages. It's hard to feel consistently close to God when you are constantly having to sort through conflicting information...and television, even the "family-friendly" type, is chock-full of shows that promote materialism, vanity, pride, immorality, and just plain shallowness. Expose yourself to enough of that, and it WILL have an effect on you by drowning out the voice of the Lord in your life. It's not just tv, of course. Anything we devote too much attention to can have the same effect. But television can be particularly sneaky because we get so relaxed in front of it that we pretty much turn our brains off.

You might be surprised at how much easier it is to fill your mind with the things of eternity when you aren't having it filled for you with the things of this world. (You'll also be shocked at how little you miss tv if you fill your day with other activities - don't just mope around and think about the shows you're missing).

All Christians go through frustration at not feeling close enough to God. The important thing is to trust that He will bring you through those times. Be faithful to Him, because He is always faithful to you.

Blessings. May God use this time to "grow you up" in Him! And good luck in turning off that "one-eyed monster"! (I don't believe in luck, but...you know what I mean!)

[Aslan the Wise one]

I will have to go with inkspot on this one, But another thing you might what to think about doing is hanging with other christians from your youth gruop and chruch, I know that has helped me in times.

[Gryphon]

At least your conserned. Some never even get that far. The fact that your worried about this means that God is working in you, keep fighting and dont expect satan not to try and beat you down "New levels, new devils" keep going and be encouraged if you feel attacked, it means your doing something right! :D

[Rhyanidd]

Y'all are right! And even though I didn't start this thread I just wanted to thank you cuz I'm going through similar things like AbbyluvsWilliam, and ALW I really like the "minor prophets" books in the Bibles...not really sure why but they seem to help me at least...

[Saruman]

At least your conserned. Some never even get that far. The fact that your worried about this means that God is working in you, keep fighting and dont expect satan not to try and beat you down "New levels, new devils" keep going and be encouraged if you feel attacked, it means your doing something right! :D

Excellent, excellent! Well said!

[WiseEdmund]

i must really encourage you on your choice of sacrifice. i can assure you that learning to let go of something like TV will really give you the silence you need to grow in the Lord. Remember always that God seeks the heart. When making a sacrifice, always consider that it is not what goes into a man that is bad but what comes out of him. If TV bombards you with ungodly influences of the modern world then i can assure you that over these 46 days you will see a change in your heart and your attitude. i may even insist that the experience will make you need the TV less even after Easter.

Persevere with it and it will yied great fruit in your life(i hope i'm not sounding like a fortune cookie now :D )