What a blessing it is to share a strong bond with a close friend, a parent, a mentor, or a sweetheart! We need close relationships to maintain a healthy well-being. Some desire more relationships that others, but all of us need people – even when we’d rather keep to ourselves perpetually. God could have designed us to be completely self-sufficient, or to need only Him; but, he created relationships from the very beginning and said, “It is not good that the man should be alone;I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18b, ESV).
However, for as much as God wants us to connect with our spouses and with other believers, He does not want us connected to the world.
This does not mean we are supposed to become hermits and never interact with unbelievers. Quite the contrary! We should spend time with unbelievers and tell them about our faith in Christ.
Being disconnected from the world does not mean we should refrain from going out to eat or from enjoying the beauty of the Earth.
When God tells us not to “love the world,” He means that we are not to love worldliness. We are supposed to love Him and not throw our lives into pursuing wealth (Matthew 6:24). We are supposed to gain our wisdom from His word and not from secular sources (Proverbs 3:5-6 and Romans 12:2). We are supposed to look forward to Christ’s return instead of clinging to our earthly possessions and titles (Matthew 6:19-21).
Where are you Currently Plugged?
Where do you find your joy? What sustains you? What gets you out of bed each morning? What motivates you to work heartily?
If you are not connected to God through Jesus Christ (i.e., have repented, been regenerated and redeemed, and are trusting in Christ), then you are connected to the world by default – there is no in between. If you are not following Christ, you are following the ways of the world (Ephesians 2:1–10).
One of my biggest downfalls has always been television. Mom knew that the worst punishment she could ever give me was to take away my TV privileges. Some of my favorite shows as a kid were Happy Days, the Andy Griffith Show, Full House, Saved by the Bell, and Family Matters. If I missed out on my shows, it wasn’t pretty.
I can remember when Full House came on at five o’clock every afternoon. One weekday, I was running errands with my aunt, and it got dangerously close to 5pm. I actually became anxious! Even though I had probably seen every episode multiple times, I needed to get home to see it. And if a holiday changed the viewing schedule, it was truly infuriating.
Since then, I have developed attachments to many other shows, and have experienced the same need to see them. Nowadays, we are not nearly as enslaved to TV schedules thanks to DVRs and online streaming, but I still struggle with needing some TV time.
Along with needing my TV time, I’ve also found myself engrossed in shows that do not honor God. Off color themes, jokes about my Savior, and drenched in worldly wisdom – but they can be so funny! They may be funny, but I have never been able to thoroughly enjoy them because I feel that familiar tug inside.
(Heather, why are you allowing yourself to be entertained by the very sins that put Christ on the cross?)
As long as I stayed connected to those shows, my walk with Christ suffered. Either I am connected to Him, or I am connected to the world. For every time I allowed myself to become interested in unwholesome TV shows, it was always just a matter of time before I surrendered. I simply cannot go on laughing at shows that fly in the face of the beliefs I hold dear. I cannot continue in the sin. When I plug into the world, I am never content and I eventually become miserable.
The World or the Word?
But, when I plug into God’s word, I feel peace! Hope! Excitement! I am also brought face-to-face with the reality of my sin and my need to continuously repent before God! His word is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Bible is not just a book with stories written thousands of years ago; it is alive and everything in it still holds true.
When I allow myself to dabble in the world, I begin to think, “My life will be boring without these shows, these gossip sessions, etc.;” but, after I fall at Jesus’ feet and repent, I am once again filled with a peace that surpasses anything the world can give me. Nothing is worth more than that!
Are You Disconnected?
We have spent the better part of a year here at PreEngaged talking about why to connect, how to connect, and with whom to connect; but, sometimes we need to disconnect. At the moment, you are disconnected with something or someone. You are either connected to the world, or connected to God. You are either filling yourself with worldly entertainment and wisdom, or you are delighting in your Savior and His wisdom.
Take a long look at yourself today through the mirror of the Bible. Are you plugged in to the life giving source? Or, are you plugged in to temporary pleasures?
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2, ESV).
Are you disconnected from the world and connected with God through Jesus Christ?