Over the past few days me and my church friends have been in deep discussion about being totally dependant on God. Now one of the questions that kept coming up was why bother with hobbies since they are something we want and chose to do and are not for god. Now this has really stumped me and so I wondered what peoples views are on enjoyment?
why do we have hobbies?
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Luther073082
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Well obviously entertainment can be abused. But entertainment is also part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
God knows that we need to rest ourselves and that is not always just in sleep. We also have to have things to occupy our minds on something that doesn't involved work. God knows there is more to life then work, eat, sleep, and worship.
Entertainment gives us Dopamine boosts. This is the chemical the brain produces when its happy or entertained. There are multiple problems that come about from the lack of Dopamine, one of which is heavy depression. In other words if you could assume all the work you do is work for God. (Unlikely, unless you are working for the church because you have to eat. As God Commanded btw, he's not mad at you for working for your food.)
But say all your work is for God. You are more effective if you work 8 to 10 hours, 5 days a week, allow yourself some time for entertainment (hobbies), and get a good nights rest then you would be if all you did was eat, sleep, and work.
And also you have to think that God loves us. . . And because of his love he would want us to enjoy our time while we are here would he not? I mean I'm called to "hate the world" but that means I should hate the world's ways, not hate the fact that I'm alive or that I have a life. I can't imagine that God would claim to love us but leave us here to do nothing but eat, sleep, work, and worship. Thus we have hobbies and entertainment.
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Weasel7711
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God designed us to enjoy his creation and gave us minds with a creative touch, I would expect he would want us to use our talents and abilities to honor him and that can very much be done through our hobbies.
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i always have seen enjoyment as something god given etc but i couldnt explain how i felt so thank you for putting it in a way i can now explain
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Trashionista
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It makes life more interesting.
I guess it depends what the hobby is - but anything can be taken to the extreme.
I guess it depends what the hobby is - but anything can be taken to the extreme.
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peanutbutter12
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Sorry, but I always find answers like this amusing.
"I build model trains for the glory of God!"
"I fly kites for the glory of God!"
"I collect stamps for the glory of God!"
That mentality is only fooling yourself to feel better about doing something you enjoy when you have the mentality that every second of your day needs to be devoted to God. I find it amusing that some people have a very hard time finding a medium.
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HannahBanana
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Because He loves us and He doesn't want us to get bored. Or at least that's my take on it.
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Weasel7711
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It might be because of a bible verse that says : "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB. I'm sure theres some way to collect stamps for Jesus, I just don't care enough about it to think about it right now.
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As a person who has many, many hobbies, these are my reasons:
1. God gives us sacks of Gold. Are we to bury them in the ground because we don't see the use, or are we going to multiply and multiply these sacks of Gold and be entrusted with new ones?
I'll tell you something I just found out: you can learn talents that you never had before if you are faithful with one's you already had.
2. Hobbies are a sort of relaxed fun way to learn tools that you can later use for God's glory. Example: I do ballet. There was one ballet movement I just couldn't get. My teacher spent 1 hour of her own free time trying coach me and I just couldn't succeed. I spent a whole month, stubbornly try to figure it out. Rather than doing a sloppy job and pretend I was as good as the average ballet student in that class, I made a fool of myself, doing a simplified beginner's version of the exercise. Stubbornness was what I used. And one day, like magic, I suddenly and instantaneously learned how to do it in 5 minutes. This experience has been to me one of the most encouraging things. It taught me how to learn things I don't have a natural knack for. I can apply it to any other field. So that's a way to be more useful to God.
3. Part of the recipe that makes geniuses, is being encouraged into a wide range of hobbies and areas of interest when you are young. (The other ingredients are: specializing as you get older, having a mentor, and working on the specialized area 3 times more than the average amateur.) Even if you weren't encouraged as a child, it's never too late. Why not jump to the chance to make yourself as smart as possible for God's use?
4. Keeping lucid and young. An 80 year old friend of mine is one of the funnest, most interesting people around. Unlike most people his age, he is so modern. He has lot's of hobbies, and this in addition to his engineer career. One day I was painting, and he was beside me. I asked him if he painted. He said that he used to do it, but that if he wanted to stay young in his head, he preferred to learn something he's never done before, rather than do something he already knows how to do. A few years ago, for example, he and a friend got into making weaving machines, weaving, and dying cloth. Strange hobby, but in all his 80 years he had never done it before.
5. Loving others: This same 80 year old friend ran a film club in which he would teach how to make films. Teaching was just an excuse to be able to help younger generations and mentor them. Mentoring is a way to show love. (Remember, it's one of the ingredients towards being a genius!)
So hobbies are very useful, for our survival, and for being able to serve God better.
Even more passive hobbies are useful: for example, reading is needed if you are going to be able to do any good writing. Collecting stamps might teach about different countries and cultures. Building models teaches creative manual skills.
1. God gives us sacks of Gold. Are we to bury them in the ground because we don't see the use, or are we going to multiply and multiply these sacks of Gold and be entrusted with new ones?
I'll tell you something I just found out: you can learn talents that you never had before if you are faithful with one's you already had.
2. Hobbies are a sort of relaxed fun way to learn tools that you can later use for God's glory. Example: I do ballet. There was one ballet movement I just couldn't get. My teacher spent 1 hour of her own free time trying coach me and I just couldn't succeed. I spent a whole month, stubbornly try to figure it out. Rather than doing a sloppy job and pretend I was as good as the average ballet student in that class, I made a fool of myself, doing a simplified beginner's version of the exercise. Stubbornness was what I used. And one day, like magic, I suddenly and instantaneously learned how to do it in 5 minutes. This experience has been to me one of the most encouraging things. It taught me how to learn things I don't have a natural knack for. I can apply it to any other field. So that's a way to be more useful to God.
3. Part of the recipe that makes geniuses, is being encouraged into a wide range of hobbies and areas of interest when you are young. (The other ingredients are: specializing as you get older, having a mentor, and working on the specialized area 3 times more than the average amateur.) Even if you weren't encouraged as a child, it's never too late. Why not jump to the chance to make yourself as smart as possible for God's use?
4. Keeping lucid and young. An 80 year old friend of mine is one of the funnest, most interesting people around. Unlike most people his age, he is so modern. He has lot's of hobbies, and this in addition to his engineer career. One day I was painting, and he was beside me. I asked him if he painted. He said that he used to do it, but that if he wanted to stay young in his head, he preferred to learn something he's never done before, rather than do something he already knows how to do. A few years ago, for example, he and a friend got into making weaving machines, weaving, and dying cloth. Strange hobby, but in all his 80 years he had never done it before.
5. Loving others: This same 80 year old friend ran a film club in which he would teach how to make films. Teaching was just an excuse to be able to help younger generations and mentor them. Mentoring is a way to show love. (Remember, it's one of the ingredients towards being a genius!)
So hobbies are very useful, for our survival, and for being able to serve God better.
Even more passive hobbies are useful: for example, reading is needed if you are going to be able to do any good writing. Collecting stamps might teach about different countries and cultures. Building models teaches creative manual skills.
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Boss_BlueAngels
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Why do we have hobbies? On reason is so we don't go insane, and the other, I think, is another way to express our love for God.
Worship is a state of mind, not an act. People get cought up in the idea that in everything we do we need to be praising God. A lot of people think that is only limited to reading the Bible, going to church, and singing worship songs. As great as that all is, it isn't the whole picture when it comes to praiseing God in what we do.
I'm an active aerobatic pilot and I'm getting ready for my first competition this coming spring. While I'm flying the maneuvers I am extremely focused on everything I'm about to do and what I'm currently doing. I don't have the time to sit there and think about how great God is and how awesome He is every moment simply because it will compromise safety. I still consier it one of my forms of worship because I know my passion and skills are only from God and those abilities can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I fly to the absolute best of my abilities and I thank God every day that I am able to do something so incredible.
Same can be said for any other hobby. Sure you're not reading a Bible, singing a praise song, or at a church. But worship is about what's in your heart and how you use those passion and gifts God has given you. It isn't about a song, a certain passage, or a building. Also, it's so you can communicate your faith for other people who may not be saved. I don't have to sky-write "Jesus Loves You" or anything, but I can be myself, do my thing, and people will (and do) notice something different and ask question on their own.
Worship is a state of mind, not an act. People get cought up in the idea that in everything we do we need to be praising God. A lot of people think that is only limited to reading the Bible, going to church, and singing worship songs. As great as that all is, it isn't the whole picture when it comes to praiseing God in what we do.
I'm an active aerobatic pilot and I'm getting ready for my first competition this coming spring. While I'm flying the maneuvers I am extremely focused on everything I'm about to do and what I'm currently doing. I don't have the time to sit there and think about how great God is and how awesome He is every moment simply because it will compromise safety. I still consier it one of my forms of worship because I know my passion and skills are only from God and those abilities can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I fly to the absolute best of my abilities and I thank God every day that I am able to do something so incredible.
Same can be said for any other hobby. Sure you're not reading a Bible, singing a praise song, or at a church. But worship is about what's in your heart and how you use those passion and gifts God has given you. It isn't about a song, a certain passage, or a building. Also, it's so you can communicate your faith for other people who may not be saved. I don't have to sky-write "Jesus Loves You" or anything, but I can be myself, do my thing, and people will (and do) notice something different and ask question on their own.
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StrawberryShortcake2
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We have hobbies so it keeps us busy since idle hands are the devil's handiwork. I view my hobbies as something do with my time and keep myself entertained so I don't get bored.
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I wanted to make a comment about cultural differences. There have been a couple of people who have equated entertainment with hobbies. I get the impression that in some countries, things like going to the theater, watching television and watching movies are entertainment, where as in other countries, theater and certain movies are seen as something almost sacred. In Paris, for example, there is a Christian theater director who is absolutely convinced that he is doing a service to people, not just entertaining them, and that the plays he puts on, and the way he puts them on is important on a spiritual and community level. What he does is not mare entertainment. And it's a cultural understanding that sees it in a different light.
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It is nothing wrong with hobbies but remember put God first. Don't get to indulge in your hobbies. Any time you invest more time in your hobby than your time with God. Your hobby is your god.
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SimplySusie
Regular Member
You never know what that hobby might turn into. The knowledge of a stamp expert may be needed by the FBI to verify a forgery. I am thankful for my hobbies and cherish the time spent with those of similar interests. Idle hands are the devil's workshop. Keeping my hands busy is a good thing. My sisters and I play Christian CDs whle we sew and do crafts, and we discuss Bible topics.
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Asking why one has a hobby is like asking why do you practice your faith. Your faith plays a big part in your life, it gives you a reason to live day after day.
A hobby is just another reason to enjoy life, live how you want to. Depending on how you look at it, going to church if it is something you enjoy could be considered a hobby.
Or simply: "Something you enjoy to help pass the time".
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Silver-winged Flyer
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I enjoy lots of different crafts and my church has a craft market twice a year where people can hire tables and sell their crafts to the church people and to outsiders. Most of the people who hire tables come from outside of the church.
What's really good about the craft markets is not the money that we make because we don't really make that much but the fellowship that we can enjoy especially with people that don't come to our church. Its also a good opportunity for outsiders to see that there is a church there serving the community.
We also have a tea garden and we sell food (south african food so you wouldn't understand what they were if I told you
) and people offer their time to pour tea, sell tickets for the food, cook the food and serve it.
The money that we raise goes back into the church and used for God's work.
So this is one reason how hobbies can be used, maybe not to glorify God per se but used for His purpose.
What's really good about the craft markets is not the money that we make because we don't really make that much but the fellowship that we can enjoy especially with people that don't come to our church. Its also a good opportunity for outsiders to see that there is a church there serving the community.
We also have a tea garden and we sell food (south african food so you wouldn't understand what they were if I told you
) and people offer their time to pour tea, sell tickets for the food, cook the food and serve it.The money that we raise goes back into the church and used for God's work.
So this is one reason how hobbies can be used, maybe not to glorify God per se but used for His purpose.
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fritz300
You shall know the truth
I guess I'm pretty ruined... now that I think about it, I don't really have any hobbies that don't involve studying the Scriptures, worship, prayer or fellowship.
I got rid of my TV, all video games, movies, and pretty much every thing that doesn't glorify God.
The worst part about all of it is that I don't even feel like I could find enjoyment in any of it even if I wanted.
Kinda like if I ever fell away from God, I wouldn't know how to lose myself in a fleshly satisfying life-style cause my flesh doesn't even desire things that don't involve God anymore.. it's so settled and understanding that every thing else in excess is just a waste of time.
One thing that isn't a waste of time though.. a wife.. can't wait to have one of those
I know a girl...- Zak
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Maynard Keenan
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Anything that brings you joy, makes your life or someone else's life better is of God and brings glory to Him, unless it is objectively immoral. All things are of God and something does not need to be explicit in its praise of God in order to praise Him.
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