"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." – Colossians 3:14
You show up to a social gathering you don’t know very many people at. You were invited by a close friend. You find your friend and he introduces you to someone you have never met. After exchanging names, the stranger asks, “So, what do you do?”
It has been awhile since I have been a part of the blogging world. I intentionally withdrew, so that I could spend time brainstorming ideas for a book. That process isn’t done yet, as I am still working through chapter titles and topics, but I have returned to write.
When it comes to writing, spitballing is important for me. I have to get all my ideas out on paper before I can refine them. I realize that some of the things I write during this time are bad…really bad. And that is okay.
Through the creative process, there is a sinister voice that whispers accusations. They are true. I’m not a pastor, councilor, or biblical scholar. The amount of time I put into research of my blog posts tend to be pretty minimal. And that can be a problem.
However, that sinister voice can’t be paralyzing. If it is, it wins. It’s the voice of self-doubt that creeps in to keep me standing still. I can’t write without being an expert. Unless I have a PhD, I have nothing to offer.
This is a lie. All too often, I believe it. If I let it, it keeps me from moving and from putting into the world whatever gifts God has given me.
God has given us something to share. He has blessed us with gifts, not to horde for ourselves in self-doubt and self-protection. He’s given us gifts to share with others and to bless others. He has given us talents to invest. If you are like me, my doubt and my fear tempts me to bury them. That’s selfish, and in the end incredibly unfulfilling. We are all created for a purpose, each one unique.
And yet, when we take that step of faith, as scary as it is, we fit in a larger community. We fit in the Church. Like a puzzle with distinct pieces, we fit together to create a much larger picture.
I like technology. I love keeping up with all things tech. I use Android, but I like to keep up with Apple and Microsoft news as well. I think the innovations that companies make are absolutely amazing, and I enjoy watching press conferences. I think it is pretty cool that we live in a world where that even the general public can view press conferences live through YouTube.
However, there is a problem. My interest in technology can very easily become an idol. As the next big thing releases, sometimes something stirs inside of me. It is the desire for the next big thing (as Samsung likes to call it), whether it be the next tablet, computer, phone, or even smart watch (FYI – I am not a fan of Apple’s grossly expensive Apple Watch, but that is not what this post is about). These things are cool to read, watch, and listen to news about. However, when money plops down on the table, the shinyness only lasts until the next thing is announced.
The tendency to spend on things that we don’t need is not a unique problem. It is pretty rampant in Western culture. We live in a culture of excess. Why? What compels us to look for the next thing?
We are all trying to fill a hole in our lives. An addiction to consumerism could be spurred on by something much deeper. Why did I buy a smart watch? Was it because it adds utility to my life, or was it because I wanted people to give me attention? To be honest, some people might get stuff to garner attention from others. Other people might just be straight up addicted to new stuff. Both of these things are a form of idolatry.
So where does God fit in? Is it okay to be interested in technology, movies, or sports? Of course! However, things get crazy when interests become obsessions. When interests become obsessions, that is when we find that what we once just did out of enjoyment has become a god in our lives. When the new stuff controls our spending habits and sends us into a whirlwind of debt, then we have to ask ourselves if we have become a slave to our own interests.
This was a hard lesson for me to learn. However, when we can start to recognize when our affections are drawing away from what really matters (God, family, friends, etc), then we can redirect our affections. It may seem forced at first, but when we put in the effort to redirect our affections away from the trivial to the eternal, then we will see lasting joy begin to bloom in our lives.
In case you haven’t noticed, the title of the site went from “Christian and Nerd” to “Becoming.” It rebranded. Let me explain:
When I started this blog, I wanted to write about 3 things: God, technology, and video games. Now, I still enjoy reading about new technology, and from time to time I sit down with my PS3 to blow off some steam. However, these things are inconsequential hobbies that I enjoy when my mind switches to the “off” position.
We all need the “off” position in small doses. However, when our minds are switched “off” for long durations of time, then we find ourselves going into complacency. We stall out. We put in our time at work, and then come home and become entertainment zombies.
I’ve been an entertainment zombie before. I don’t think I’ve been one for a long time. However, I was finding that I was writing tech posts that never actually got posted. I just didn’t feel the need was there, and I was posting on news that other more specialized sites had already covered.
Not to mention there was just no focal point. The writing was a mish mash of whatever I felt like writing about. That’s what most blogs are, after all.
However, while reading and taking a class titled, “48 Days to the Word You Love,” by Dan Miller, I became inspired to do a couple of things:
1. Write more – This is one of the gifts I believe God has blessed me with (though, you may disagree).
2. Write with purpose – Its one thing to just write, its another thing to write with purpose.
So this blog is officially rebranding from a personal, “I’m going to write whatever the heck I want,” blog to a blog that is focused on stories, thoughts, and ideas about people becoming who they were created to be.
Just like I believe this blog’s focus needed to narrow, I think we need to narrow the focus in our lives as well. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what other people tell us we should be that we forget who we really are. In this case, rebranding is a refinement of purpose. Just as this website needed rebranding, I think our lives need it too.
We were all created for something. Let’s “rebrand” by becoming who we were created to be.
musingsonlife 