Sunday, August 16, 2009

:::Day 30 -- Resting:::

Letter D A Y 3 0

Be Strong in the Lord
Elder M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

"One of the ways Satan lessens your effectiveness and weakens your spiritual strength is by encouraging you to spend large blocks of your time doing things that matter very little. I speak of such things as sitting for hours on end watching television or videos, playing video games night in and night out, surfing the Internet, or devoting huge blocks of time to sports, games, or other recreational activities.

Don’t misunderstand me. These activities are not wrong in and of themselves (unless, of course, you are watching salacious programs or seeking out pornographic images on the Internet). Games, sports, recreational activities, and even television can be relaxing and rejuvenating, especially in times when you are under stress or heavily scheduled. You need activities that help you to unwind and rest your minds. It is healthy to go onto the soccer field or the basketball court and participate in vigorous physical activity.

But I speak of letting things get out of balance. It is not watching television, but watching television hour after hour, night after night. Does not that qualify as idling away your time? What will you say to the Lord when He asks what you have done with the precious gift of life and time? Surely you will not feel comfortable telling Him that you were able to pass the 100,000-point level in a challenging video game.

One devastating effect of idling away our time is that it deflects us from focusing on the things that matter most. Too many people are willing to sit back and let life just happen to them. It takes time to develop the attributes that will help you to be a well-balanced person."


7 comments:

Jill said...

Congratulations on making it to day 30!

This quote is an eye opener for me because I often spend my evenings watching TV, and of course spend hours on the computer each day. I know I need to be more balanced in other areas with the use of my time. Ouch.

michelle said...

Yes, ouch.

This reminds me of my lesson in YW last week, all about the adversary and his snares. We talked about how he can accomplish his work not only by tempting us to sin, but also by keeping us down -- in so many ways -- so that we don't do all the good we could be doing. A sobering thought.

mom said...

Please don't say it! Day 30! Nooooo...

I am trying to do something constructive like learning to quilt while I watch tv. Of course it only amounts to me practicing small stiches on a fabric remnant.

Sarah said...

I'm really good at frittering my time away.

Rachel said...

I've been out of town, sans internet, so I was happy to be able to catch up with the last five days of your blog. I've really appreciated (as always) your wit and reflection. Lots of delicious food for thought. Thanks for doing your 30 days!

scrambled brains said...

Oh Faye,
How I wish you'd vowed to post 365 days instead of a mere 30...
Love you!
Heidi

aunti said...

thank you beka, i am giving the discussion in RS this Sunday and day 30 will fit right in!