ChildofChrist
Member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2020
- Messages
- 39
I'm asking for your advice and opinions because ever since I was 9 years old, I've played the sims series everyday and loved it, since I became a born again Christian at Easter last year, I've slowly but surely reduced my gameplay time because of wanting to spend more time with Jesus and wanting to do more fruitful activities like seeing fellow Christians in the church cafe and doing arts and craft and puzzles, etc.
But the thing is I play the sims 3 or 2 about 3-5 times a week now for about 1-3 hours a day in contrast to playing for hours everyday. I believe that the Holy Spirit has changed me from inside and has gave me some more godly desires and helped me stop most of my sins (there may be more I'm in the process of getting rid of or sins I'm not aware I have). I'm scared that I have an idol (the Sims) and I don't want to lose Jesus because sometimes I get desires to play or I think about the game when I should be thinking about Jesus or doing something for him!
For those who don't know about the game, the Sims is a game (up to 4 series now) where you create families and houses and you can live out their life stories and also there is a fan base where people create challenges that are not usually in the game to spice up the game even more. It can be addicting as it allows so much creativity to flow from the game and you can get enhanced in the families story so much you think about how you can make their life story progress and what you want them to accomplish next (become a robotics engineer or get a degree, reach level 10 in the politics career etc). Yes in the sims you can make your sims sin (homosexual relationships, cheating, stealing and fighting) but my gameplay has changed since becoming a born again Christian since I know it would upset God and I have no longer the desires to watch my character sin!
The desire pops into my head about 2-3 times a day and I usually put off playing until the evening and play for an hour or two, then afterwards I spend time with Jesus as I'm logging off my computer or whilst I'm waiting for a loading screen I pray sometimes. Sometimes I think about how to improve my gameplay about every once in a blue moon for about half an hour to an hour as i can really get into it. It generally does not cut into my bible reading time but it can my prayer time.
I believe Jesus deserves better for what he did for us and that I could reduce the time I spend on social media (forums and scrolling through videos on YouTube) and spend it doing more godly things like encouraging depressed people on Christian YouTube videos in the comments and praying for them or perhaps spreading the Gospel through forums and the internet. I also like to spend one with fellow Christians at my church cafe and I spend an hour to 3 hours with them usually 3-5 times a week. Or spend the extra time with him.
The question also remains, am I being Worldly by liking a video game but spending less time than I used to on it? And do I need to give it up perhaps? Do I perhaps need to further reduce time I spend on it? Is it an idol that I created unintentionally? I do acknowledge that soon the game will no longer exist and that there is more important things out there and I also acknowledge that Jesus is greater than any computer or video game out there and that I love him more. Whilst I'm not upset that the game won't exist in heaven or new earth I still want to play whilst I'm here on earth and I want to enjoy the game whilst I still have it.
What do you suggest I do? I'm not willing to let something as stupid as a game get in the way of living righteously and Holy for Jesus just because I enjoy it. I'm aware in the bible it says about putting off the old man and putting on the new and the commandment to not put anything before God.
But the thing is I play the sims 3 or 2 about 3-5 times a week now for about 1-3 hours a day in contrast to playing for hours everyday. I believe that the Holy Spirit has changed me from inside and has gave me some more godly desires and helped me stop most of my sins (there may be more I'm in the process of getting rid of or sins I'm not aware I have). I'm scared that I have an idol (the Sims) and I don't want to lose Jesus because sometimes I get desires to play or I think about the game when I should be thinking about Jesus or doing something for him!
For those who don't know about the game, the Sims is a game (up to 4 series now) where you create families and houses and you can live out their life stories and also there is a fan base where people create challenges that are not usually in the game to spice up the game even more. It can be addicting as it allows so much creativity to flow from the game and you can get enhanced in the families story so much you think about how you can make their life story progress and what you want them to accomplish next (become a robotics engineer or get a degree, reach level 10 in the politics career etc). Yes in the sims you can make your sims sin (homosexual relationships, cheating, stealing and fighting) but my gameplay has changed since becoming a born again Christian since I know it would upset God and I have no longer the desires to watch my character sin!
The desire pops into my head about 2-3 times a day and I usually put off playing until the evening and play for an hour or two, then afterwards I spend time with Jesus as I'm logging off my computer or whilst I'm waiting for a loading screen I pray sometimes. Sometimes I think about how to improve my gameplay about every once in a blue moon for about half an hour to an hour as i can really get into it. It generally does not cut into my bible reading time but it can my prayer time.
I believe Jesus deserves better for what he did for us and that I could reduce the time I spend on social media (forums and scrolling through videos on YouTube) and spend it doing more godly things like encouraging depressed people on Christian YouTube videos in the comments and praying for them or perhaps spreading the Gospel through forums and the internet. I also like to spend one with fellow Christians at my church cafe and I spend an hour to 3 hours with them usually 3-5 times a week. Or spend the extra time with him.
The question also remains, am I being Worldly by liking a video game but spending less time than I used to on it? And do I need to give it up perhaps? Do I perhaps need to further reduce time I spend on it? Is it an idol that I created unintentionally? I do acknowledge that soon the game will no longer exist and that there is more important things out there and I also acknowledge that Jesus is greater than any computer or video game out there and that I love him more. Whilst I'm not upset that the game won't exist in heaven or new earth I still want to play whilst I'm here on earth and I want to enjoy the game whilst I still have it.
What do you suggest I do? I'm not willing to let something as stupid as a game get in the way of living righteously and Holy for Jesus just because I enjoy it. I'm aware in the bible it says about putting off the old man and putting on the new and the commandment to not put anything before God.
