What Are You (Spiritually) Feeding Yourself?

(The post I wrote last week on why there aren’t more teens reading YA Christian fiction lead to the discussion of media and the affect that it has on our culture today. This is another topic that I feel strongly about and wanted to share a few of my thoughts/opinions about it in today’s post.)

I like having junk food every now and then. It’s a nice snack when I’m bored or simply craving something to eat. But those are the only two things that junk food is good for. It may look good, may even taste good and satisfy my craving for the moment—but if you look at the food’s nutritional value, you’ll see what you’re eating really consists of. And if you eat too much junk, you’ll be left with a sick and nasty feeling in the pit of your stomach. Why? Because junk food isn’t nutritious, which is why our bodies shouldn't consume a big portion at a time. If you do, you just may throw up.

I feel that eating too much junk food is the same as “eating” too much secular television, movies, books, and music. These things may satisfy me for the moment, and it may be a really good movie, TV show, book or song—it may even satisfy the “craving” I have for entertainment at the time. But it is nothing compared to healthy food that provides nutrients, energy, long lasting benefits, and even more fulfillment. Sure, I’ll have junk food every now and then... but if I eat too much I’ll feel completely disgusting afterward and am sure to regret it.

Believe it or not, what we “feed” ourselves does have affect our spiritual health. If you want to get rid of excess depression and fear, stop “eating” media that will make you feel that way, such as the news. If you’re tired of throwing up (thinking, acting, and speaking in ungodly ways, regurgitating what you've "taken in") then turn off your iPod. Or better yet, replace the secular music on your iPod with Christian music. Our bodies - physical and spiritual - cannot eat all that junk and it not have some sort of negative affect on us.

I admit, healthy food such as vegetables does look boring and probably isn’t considered as “tasteful” as junk food. However, the more you eat it, the more lasting benefits you gain and less of a chance there is for your body to be unhealthy. Eventually you won’t even crave the junk food anymore because you’ll find that the health food is way more rewarding and you feel much better afterward. Of course, a bite of junk food every now and then may not hurt. But it’s not to take the place of health food.

The way we think and act is a direct response from what we’re feeding ourselves. The lifestyles displayed on television are not the kind that we should model our lives after because eventually what we watch will rub off on us. This is why I believe that movies, television, music, and books are so powerful. Which is also why I only read/write Christian fiction, listen to mostly Christian music, and only watch a few television shows. It’s because I don’t like eating trash. I’d rather use my time eating things that will do me good in the long run, not harm.

When people are trying to lose weight, they eat smaller portions than what they’re used to and include more health food into their diet. We should all take the same careful consideration into what we allow into our bodies. Too much of anything that is not of God is never good for our spiritual systems.

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Why do you think it’s so important to not spend much of our time investing in secular media? Have you noticed a change in the way you think, speak, act, and respond to certain situations because of the things you’ve watched/listened to/read? What things would you cut out of your “diet” if you wanted to clean out your spiritual system?

PS: I will be at a conference next week so there will be no posts until Monday, 5/16. See all of you then! =)