Where do we draw the line?

[DiscipleHeLovesToo]

Something I've been struggling with lately is how I should be spending my time. My wife and I, our children, we attend regular Sunday worship and Wednesday evening small group. I often spend my time in the morning reading random scripture, and praying/praising God. Then there's time spent here ministering, defending my faith, talking about God. All of these I would hope are in some way glorifying to God.

But I'm not doing these things all the time, and I'm not focused on God 100% of my time. I enjoy reading books, playing video games, listening to music, riding my bike, going on camping trips. Are these also, glorifying to God, or are these self-serving? Is anything I've listed above just self-serving?

I fear two things: Being too lax in my devotion to God and backsliding, the other is being too strict and creating a stumbling block between myself and God. Where do I draw the line? This also goes for my family whom I am the spiritual head of. Any advice?

look closely at your post - your focus is on what you do for God, not what He did for you. don't be offended or condemned; everyone struggles with this; especially people who attend 'traditional' churches. the message of the typical traditional church is 'come to God as you are and He will change you into what He wants you to be'; but once you do come to God, the message changes to 'get water baptized, be at the church every time the doors open, give 10% of your gross income to us, accept our interpretation of God's word and abide by the by-laws of our church whether you understand them or not' - the focus shifts from what God has done for you to what you must do for Him as soon as they ask you to repeat their version of the 'sinners prayer'...(those statements will likely draw some Pharisaic responses to this post, btw...)

shift your focus from what you can do for God back to what He has done for you; God enjoys reading books, playing video games, listening to music, riding your bike, going camping, etc. - but only when you share these things with Him. God has one requirement - that you strive to believe Him above all other reports; in order to do this you must set aside what you can do for God (which is but 'filthy rags') and strive instead to focus on His situational leading; this produces fellowship, and you will begin to let 'Him do through you' rather than 'you do for Him' (which is True Righteousness in action).

Paul spent quite a bit of time alone in the desert focused on God's word after Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus; consider going into a 'desert' where the primary spiritual influence in your life is what you glean from His word in fellowship with Him; and you'll receive the same all-fulfilling revelation of His unending, selfless love for you that Paul realized.

there are only two reasons to go to a traditional church:

-to selflessly minister to those you find there, and
-to prepare to selflessly minister to the world outside of your traditional church

note that for these motives to be effective, you must focus not on what you do for God, but what He does through you as a byproduct of your relationship with Him...

 

[bottledwater]

Something I've been struggling with lately is how I should be spending my time. My wife and I, our children, we attend regular Sunday worship and Wednesday evening small group. I often spend my time in the morning reading random scripture, and praying/praising God. Then there's time spent here ministering, defending my faith, talking about God. All of these I would hope are in some way glorifying to God.

But I'm not doing these things all the time, and I'm not focused on God 100% of my time. I enjoy reading books, playing video games, listening to music, riding my bike, going on camping trips. Are these also, glorifying to God, or are these self-serving? Is anything I've listed above just self-serving?

I fear two things: Being too lax in my devotion to God and backsliding, the other is being too strict and creating a stumbling block between myself and God. Where do I draw the line? This also goes for my family whom I am the spiritual head of. Any advice?

Gill, it sounds to me like you are right on track. i mean, you are even taking stock of yourself and looking for room to improve.
I think that quite a few of us could actually take a lesson from you. Myself being at the top of that list.
God bless you and your family brother. I love you.

 

[DimEyesOpenHeart]

Something I've been struggling with lately is how I should be spending my time. My wife and I, our children, we attend regular Sunday worship and Wednesday evening small group. I often spend my time in the morning reading random scripture, and praying/praising God. Then there's time spent here ministering, defending my faith, talking about God. All of these I would hope are in some way glorifying to God.

But I'm not doing these things all the time, and I'm not focused on God 100% of my time. I enjoy reading books, playing video games, listening to music, riding my bike, going on camping trips. Are these also, glorifying to God, or are these self-serving? Is anything I've listed above just self-serving?

I fear two things: Being too lax in my devotion to God and backsliding, the other is being too strict and creating a stumbling block between myself and God. Where do I draw the line? This also goes for my family whom I am the spiritual head of. Any advice?

Life happens and God understands that. He justs asks that you rememeber Him and not forget him. It's always a good idea to check in with yourself and see how you're spiritually growing. It's a good idea to really engage in Scripture not dip and dive all the time. God would appreciate being first and not last in your attention and actions during the day but He is happy when you meet Him anytime. Marriage and hobbies are fine, He created those, but this is what I also struggle with prioritising God and not just procrastinating and getting distracted!

 

[aiki]

Something I've been struggling with lately is how I should be spending my time. My wife and I, our children, we attend regular Sunday worship and Wednesday evening small group. I often spend my time in the morning reading random scripture, and praying/praising God. Then there's time spent here ministering, defending my faith, talking about God. All of these I would hope are in some way glorifying to God.

But I'm not doing these things all the time, and I'm not focused on God 100% of my time. I enjoy reading books, playing video games, listening to music, riding my bike, going on camping trips. Are these also, glorifying to God, or are these self-serving? Is anything I've listed above just self-serving?
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I fear two things: Being too lax in my devotion to God and backsliding, the other is being too strict and creating a stumbling block between myself and God. Where do I draw the line? This also goes for my family whom I am the spiritual head of. Any advice?

Your questions get resolved, I think, by making Christ your focus more and more. When you see him as your life, as the apostle Paul did, you won't be wondering about boundaries and the proper apportioning of your time but about how best to serve and honor your Lord and Saviour in every area of your life. When you love him and desire earnestly to please him, the question won't be "Should I play this video game?" but "How can I best love my Lord right now?"

There are only two things in this world that last for eternity: God's Word and people. If you are wondering about how best to invest yourself, make your investment in these two eternal things.

Colossians 3:1-3
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Selah.

 

[Cernunnos]

God created Adam in the Garden to be a reflection of Himself, charged with nothing other than tending the Garden as God tends the Universe. When Adam fell into sin, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ. . . to restore. Jesus Christ is who Christ-followers are to imitate. The "job" of a Christ follower is to heal the breach between humankind nd the Garden we were supposed to be tending, when God in His perfect will, decided to create us.