Daydreaming to Training

1 Timothy 4:7-8

"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

     Right before New Years I read this verse during my morning time with Jesus and as soon as I read it, it cut deep. As soon as I read it I knew that God was going to start working on me and speaking to me about everything this verse contained, if I was willing to let him. I wrote the passage down on a note card and tucked it into my Bible in a place I knew I would see it everyday. I would read it every day, pray it every day, and work on really applying it to my life.

     If you click on over to the "about" page on this blog you'll find that I am a self-declared "avid daydreamer." I am someone who has, my entire life, lived somewhere on the line between reality and fiction. If asked to describe myself I'll define myself first by my faith in Christ and second by my Hogwarts House (Hufflepuff). I have probably spent more hours throughout my life imagining what could be instead of facing what is. Daydreaming is fun and it can be an okay thing to do every once in a while, I mean I'm a writer and I write a lot of stories and poems, and I know writing, even fictional pieces, is a gift and outlet that God has given me and wants me to use and you don't write fiction without a little daydreaming. However, there comes a point when it becomes unhealthy and an idol. When it becomes an idol, it becomes sin, and sin cannot have place in our lives.

     Like many people with many things daydreaming is a coping mechanism I developed as a kid to process and work through things outside of my control. Not able to grasp a math concept, man let me tell you pretending you're someone else is a lot better than fractions. Bored on a car ride, daydream. Then there are the more serious traumatic things that happen in life, such as death, sickness, etc., and guess what, daydreaming works pretty well in those situations too. However, as I grew up and matured, even as I formed and deepened a relationship with Christ it was something that I couldn't seem to shake. At the point in life in which you don't know how to live life without something, and I don't mean food and water or your parents, and that thing becomes more important to you than anything then unless that thing is Jesus, it is sin. Let me put it this way, and this stomps on my toes so I'm right there with you, if you're default response to every single thing that happens in life is to seek out something before you turn to God, that thing is your idol and you need to get rid of it. That for me, is daydreaming. Living in a state of pretending that life isn't what it is is harmful. I can never overcome and heal if I don't admit that there are things that I need to overcome and heal from. I can't invest in people if I don't make them a priority, and I cannot do that if I am always pretending I am somewhere else with someone else. I can't grow in Christ if I don't engage with him and allow him to be part of my very real life. I cannot make the world a better place if I refuse to live in it.

     I am not telling ya'll to stop reading fiction or imagining things. I'm going to keep writing and reading books, but I am working on making my focus living with and for Christ and not mentally running away from every little thing. I am going to stop training my mind to default to dwelling on "silly and irreverent things" but rather I am going to ask for forgiveness and grace and work on submitting myself to God and training my mind to focus and dwell on the things of God, the things of eternity, the things that actually matter. It may be something completely different for you. It could be smoking, caffeine, working out, food, etc. I don't know what that thing is for you that equates to that "irreverent" thing in your life that gets top priority, but you do. You know what you need to get rid of and give over to God. It won't be easy. The verse says you have to train yourself for godliness, and most of us know that training for anything is not easy. However, when you buckle down and do it the payoff is always worth it and beneficial. Here's the great thing about training for godliness, if you are willing to be open and vulnerable about your sins, struggles, and hangups you don't have to do it alone. First and most importantly, you have Christ who is always willing and ready to walk it out with you, in fact without him it is 100% impossible, you just have to be willing to submit yourself and your life to him. Second, there is an entire community of believers ready to train with you. If you need help finding a community don't be afraid to reach out. Together, we can all train for godliness.