As for me, I've been putting off taking a long overdue break from the hustle and bustle of the entertainment world (TV and the internet) for a while.
Fasting of anything needs to be prompted by God and prompted by either conviction or knowledge (if your heart is in too hard of a state to be convicted) that what you're doing isn't the ideal. That's the hard thing about being a Christian. It's not merely about what's right and wrong – it's about the ideal – Jesus shining through us. Whatever is hindering that needs to go. If people can't see Jesus in us, then how can we be sure we're really Christ's ones (where the name Christian came from)?
Abstain is not all about staining your abs
I've always been very intrigued by the ascetic, Christian monk and Amish lifestyle. Yes, some people thinking it's cheating by checking out of the world for their own little Christian one but I think it can be pretty brave. God may not call us personally to go that far but certainly He calls us to do something. He calls us to sacrifice and not all of us sacrifice enough. Not if Jesus is a fleeting thought during our day and not if we can't give up the viewing of one TV show a week (even if you only watch two TV shows a week) to focus on Him.
I've asked myself that. If I cannot give up one measly TV show for God (although there isn't anything morally wrong with it) then how can I be living the life of sacrifice that we are called to? The hours of my day thinking about TV or stories in movies needs to be purged out and replaced by thinking about my Saviour and the great commission.
Get your war on
My main vice is what Blaise Pascal (mathematical genius and Christian hero of awesome, also an ascetic mind you) describes as the single most dangerous amusement to Christian life. Sport is not as dangerous as this. Aspects of socializing are not even as dangerous as this (unless you're talking about social media). And what is this? It's entertainment – or known in his day as the theatre. It is point number 11 in his Pensees if you want to look it up and it deserves some attention.
We're supposed to be soldiers, not couch potatoes. What does God want with people that spend all day living in fantasy? (I'm talking to myself here, before anyone gets presumptuous. Roleplaying is a hobby of mine).
The spiritual war out there is real and it's a doozy. Not only that but we're expected to pay the price and not live comfortably in a household with two or more TVs that waste precious time (and energy). As it says in 2 Timothy 2:3: Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
O be careful little eyes what you see. And be careful little ears what you hear. That's what the media fast is all about. Getting your heart back to Jesus and getting your eyes and ears back to His word. Any takers on getting back to basics with me?
Let's get our fast on.
Bridget Brenton has spent seven years in China and currently lives on the Gold Coast with her husband Steven. Over the last decade she has been studying all things philosophy, apologetics and the supernatural and now is endeavoring to put that knowledge into ministry. She writes a blog on the paranormal and it's relation to practical Christianity.
Bridget Brenton's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/bridget-brenton.html