30 Day Challenge

We interrupt this blog with this important news bulletin...

"Hi, my name is Lauren McIntosh. I am 22 years old, and I am addicted to entertainment..."

As far back as I can remember (those of you who know me well...know that isn't very far) but regardless, as far as I can remember entertainment has been I believe the single biggest stumbling block to my spiritual health. 

I can remember having family nights and if ever the topic was how much television we were watching, or what we were watching, the defenses would go up and the the excuse manufacturing plant in my brain would go into overdrive. I remember times when my dad would ask us if there was anything we felt was drawing us away from God. Immediately entertainment would come to my mind. For it was by far the biggest distraction in my life, yet I would sit there desperately trying to think of something that sounded plausible to protect my 'idol'. 

Sadly as I have gotten older that love has not diminished. In fact it has grown. I love movies and television shows, I love watching clips and whatnots on You Tube. I read reviews and blogs on shows, I check twitter updates from actors, I read comments on fan forums etc etc. And the more I fill my self with the world the more I lesson my capacity for knowing and enjoying God. 

Ever since the Lord turned my life around on Aug 14th I have made a conscience effort to reduce the amount of media I take in. But entertainment has not lost its hold on my life. I kept telling myself I should fast from entertainment for a week. But then I would come up with some reason why I didn't need to follow through. This happened again and again. 

And really it is not surprising. If something is easy to give up or has no hold or sway on your life it probably isn't an idol. But when you have given yourself to an idol and cared for it and worshiped it. Letting it go is no small task. 

This weekend I felt the Lords prompting to fast from media for one month. I prayed and prayed and resisted and prayed, and decided to do it. God is worth it! In fact He is worth infinitely more...but its a start. 

I started my ban on entertainment Sept 23 and will see it to completion on Oct 23rd. I do not anticipate it to be easy. In fact before I began writing this post I sat at my computer and felt compelled to watch or read something! I felt unsettled! It was as if I was going through withdraw. You may think I am being theatrical or exaggerating to make an interesting point. But rest assured I am not. This is a real sin of idolatry that I have allowed to fester and grow in my heart for years! To be honest in my flesh I do not want to give it up! It has a real hold on my life! But my God is stronger! 

During these 30 days I am also going through Louis Giglio's 30 day journal/devotional. A study of God's attributes from the psalms. How fitting that during a time when I am taking my eyes off worldly pleasures and temptations that I fix my eyes on the almighty Lord of the universe. 

If you think of me please pray that God would give me the courage and strength to lay this idol down and look to Him to satisfy my soul! 

"Whatever you worship, you become obsessed with. Whatever you become obsessed with you imitate. And whatever you imitate, you become. In other words whatever you value most will ultimately determine who you are"

- Louis Giglio