Overcoming Worldliness Age 22

[RJG21]

Hello-
I've been struggling in my faith with lukewarmness.
I feel the Holy Spirit is convicting me to be fully devoted to God.
I'm being led to set up boundaries so that my heart can be full of the Word of God and not the world.

I need to cut out all distractions: any secular media(TV, Music, Movies, Youtube) For a time, even worldly friends and family.
Replace it with reading the Bible and praying - seeking how please and glorify Jesus.

I want to be a light to the darkness but I won't succeed with a divided heart.
What do y'all believe the Word of God says about overcoming worldliness?

Thanks!
Ron

 

[Widlast]

Takes time and a lot of effort. VERY FEW people can be fully devoted to God. We live in THIS world, God knows that, and asks complete devotion of very few. If you want to know what COMPLETE devotion is all about read the lives of the Mystic Saints, particularly the stigmatists. St. Gemma Galgani is a good example.

As far as "typical" worldliness is concerned, just don't exalt mundane garbage.
Don't get caught up in "things of the world". Which is actually harder than it sounds. People easily get caught up in desires of the flesh
(women, drugs, laziness, food, etc.) or mindless pastimes of the mind (politics, sports, video games, pulp fiction, etc.).

Just try to stay focused and stay on the narrow path.

 

[RPN]

Hello-
I need to cut out all distractions: any secular media(TV, Music, Movies, Youtube) For a time, even worldly friends and family.
Replace it with reading the Bible and praying - seeking how please and glorify Jesus.

Ron,

I understand that you want to give everything to God; however, I'd recommend you to find a way to live your secular life with God. I'll never quit going to the media to see how amazing people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are making this world a better place to be in. Don't fight the secular world, let God help you make this secular world better.

~Ryan

 

[RJG21]

Ron,

I understand that you want to give everything to God; however, I'd recommend you to find a way to live your secular life with God. I'll never quit going to the media to see how amazing people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are making this world a better place to be in. Don't fight the secular world, let God help you make this secular world better.

~Ryan

1 John 2:15-17 - Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (Read More...)

Colossians 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Ephesians 5:11 - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].

James 4:4 - Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

When secular media fills me more than God's Word I become more like the world and less like Jesus.
When I'm more like Jesus I can be more of a light to the darkness.

What are your thoughts?

 

[RPN]

1 John 2:15-17 - Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Yes, love the Father, not the world but it doesn't mean that you should completely turn around to the world.

Colossians 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Same as above.

Ephesians 5:11 - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. I'll always advise you to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness such as pornography, politics & MTV. Follow benevolent media such as secret Santa & you can make the world better by then.

James 4:4 - Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. I think this quote should apply only to adulterers & adulteresses.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. This is exactly how I want to live my life but it doesn't mean I need to completely ignore the secular world.

When secular media fills you more than God's Word, you become more like the world and less like Jesus. If you think that the world is keeping you away from Jesus then I recommend you close your eyes and ask Jesus so that he can tell you what to do. He has a plan for all of us & he'll show you the right path. If he wants you to devout completely to church, I'll be more than happy to see you being a part of the church.

I study finance and Jesus wants me to use my knowledge to help people make better financial decisions. In order to do that, I need to stay connected to the secular world and I'll only focus on the good impact that I can create to make Jesus happier. I'm doing all I can to avoid the dark side of the secular world and I won't give up until I can make Jesus happier.

~Ryan

 

[RJG21]

1 John 2:15-17 - Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Yes, love the Father, not the world but it doesn't mean that you should completely turn around to the world.

Colossians 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Same as above.

Ephesians 5:11 - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. I'll always advise you to avoid the unfruitful works of darkness such as pornography, politics & MTV. Follow benevolent media such as secret Santa & you can make the world better by then.

James 4:4 - Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. I think this quote should apply only to adulterers & adulteresses.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. This is exactly how I want to live my life but it doesn't mean I need to completely ignore the secular world.

When secular media fills you more than God's Word, you become more like the world and less like Jesus. If you think that the world is keeping you away from Jesus then I recommend you close your eyes and ask Jesus so that he can tell you what to do. He has a plan for all of us & he'll show you the right path. If he wants you to devout completely to church, I'll be more than happy to see you being a part of the church.

I study finance and Jesus wants me to use my knowledge to help people make better financial decisions. In order to do that, I need to stay connected to the secular world and I'll only focus on the good impact that I can create to make Jesus happier. I'm doing all I can to avoid the dark side of the secular world and I won't give up until I can make Jesus happier.

~Ryan

Ryan- thanks for your perspective.


13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

I believe we definitely live in the world but we shouldn't be of it, in other words, we shouldn't set our affections on things beneath such as: secular movies, tv shows and music that doesn't bring us closer to God and it doesn't help us with our occupation.

We need to be in love with Gods word... All we want to meditate on....the thing we can't wait to get out of bed and do. Sanctified through His Word so we can have an impact on the world. We shouldn't run from the world but at the same time we shouldn't partake of it.

I believe The Lord has a purpose for everyone... Everyone has a calling from God... Teacher, lawyer, doctor, etc... But on a deeper level we are called to be light and share the gosple in our job environment. I don't have to watch/listen to worldly things that don't glorify God, just to reach the world. Thats being in the world and of the world.

What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[RPN]

I believe we definitely live in the world but we shouldn't be of it, in other words, we shouldn't set our affections on things beneath such as: secular movies, tv shows and music that doesn't bring us closer to God and it doesn't help us with our occupation.

We need to be in love with Gods word... All we want to meditate on....the thing we can't wait to get out of bed and do. Sanctified through His Word so we can have an impact on the world. We shouldn't run from the world but at the same time we shouldn't partake of it.

I believe The Lord has a purpose for everyone... Everyone has a calling from God... Teacher, lawyer, doctor, etc... But on a deeper level we are called to be light and share the gospel in our job environment. I don't have to watch/listen to worldly things that don't glorify God, just to reach the world. Thats being in the world and of the world.

What are your thoughts?
Thanks!

You say the exact same thing that I've been trying to express. I'm glad we're on the same boat now. At the age of 22, I'm surprised that you're very devout to God. I live in Houston, TX & many people in here are not as half pious as you are.

~Ryan