I see the mind as a small room. In that room is you. By “you” I mean who you are and who you are meant to be. The real part of you that is eternal, makes decisions, reasons, loves, doubts and creates. With you in that room are what I have come to call your “little monsters”. These are all your appetites. These include appetites for sex, wealth, influence, entertainment, peer approval, affirmation and the most commonly recognized of them all, food. None of these are “bad” things as long as they are “on their leash” and not overfed monsters that end up putting you on a leash.
I think we can all recognize when a persons “self” has been over-ridden with one monster or another. Men and women can become slaves to their appetites for sex, food, money, entertainment, alcohol, cigarettes, affirmation, power and many other things in this world we live in. Many of us end up serving several of these at one time.
So how does this happen? How does our appetite for sex/food/money/etc get so strong that it puts “who we are” on the leash and takes control. This happens by habitual over-feeding of these things. The main cause of this, from what I have seen, is the belief that these things give us value as a person. Also, these monsters have the ability to comfort us or lull us into a stupor as opposed to actively engaging life. We can find a root of fear under all that. So we feed ourselves food, sexual contact, TV, movies, video games, yes-men/safe friendships, needless expenses, new toys and much more in order to make ourselves “happy”.
What really ends up happening is that “who we are” gets trampled under our fears and appetites. Are the very rich happy? Are the obese happy? Are the very sexually active happy? I think it’s safe to say, “not necessarily”. I would not say “no” because there are always varying circumstances to everything.
Friends, please do not let these appetites get so strong that they define you and replace who you are and are meant to be. God made you who you are because He loves you. Turn off the TV and the Internet once in a while. Go on a sex or food fast now and then. Show those little monsters who is “boss” in that “room” you share with them and be who you are. Go on some long walks with your spouse. Read some books. Have some difficult and engaging conversations with friends who do not share your views! Think, grow, love, risk, fail, recover, forgive, create and have fun. Don’t miss out on life due to over-fed appetites.
Much Love,
Ryan
Please post your comments below! Keep it clean and friendly.
I leave you with Little Wing. Why? Because it is awesome.
Well, I think everything you wrote about could be summed up as, "Addictions". All addictions follow the same basic progression, beginning with changing brain chemistry and in severe cases.. the most destructive: changing the personality. I recommend everyone read, "Addictive Thinking and The Addictive Personality" by Craig Nakken, Abraham J. Twerski, Nakken. The book gives great insight into the difficulty of why addicts often fail. It just is not so simple as saying no or pushing away the plate. It is painful for me to read as I have struggled with being overweight all my life and feel ashamed. The conclusion is to bring all thoughts captive to Christ... even our shame. We must also realize if we have an addictive personality that we are unable to solve this problem by ourselves. We must surrender our pride and efforts and allow God to work the MIRACLE of restoration and transformation. Dear God please RENEW our minds and hearts. ~ Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insight and transparency, Elizabeth. It's true that all addictions have their foundation in decisions we make to feed certain appetites. Decisions usually made out of a belief that they will make us happy. I have struggled with addictions to cigarettes and entertainment in the past. Both of these were broken by a solid decision concerning what I wanted. Do I want to smoke? Do I want to have a lazy and undeveloped mind? My answer was no and that lead to different behaviors.
ReplyDeleteI love your blogs, Ryan. They are so very insightful and honest. I'd like to bring up a point, though. I'll bet there are all sorts of little monsters we don't even realize we have. People should ask God to reveal these "monsters" in order to purge them.
ReplyDeleteThe world demands my attention on multiple levels, but if I don't have a standard to measure those demands to decide what I want/don't want, I'm open game to my own feelings, emotions, etc.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Ryan! I think an inspiring thing is that we lose all that after death, even though that sounds morbid. Just the fact that this renewed creature is at the heart of who we are as Christians. I also find a strange clarity can come from heartache. What I mean is that the world is so full of noise, but when the world caves in around us, all that noise vanishes. For me, the only thing I see when I look around is God and precious souls. All the rest of it is just meaningless. Going through the motions. I don't think that is a healthy state to live in. After all, God gave us food, beauty, etc. to enjoy. It is good for perspective, though, and I think back to those times when I get caught up in material things.
ReplyDeleteI hope that made sense.
A preacher once said (I'm paraphrasing) that someone asked him what his weaknesses were spiritually, and he said, "All of them." This was a really stunning statement to me. The Bible says that Jesus withstood all temptations. I think we are most at risk when we think we simply don't have to worry about a particular "monster." I know that's been the case for me. Some of the worst things I've done have really left me feeling bewildered as much as feeling guilty. I never even WANTED to do those things! I realized at some point that without Jesus, we are capable of anything. It is important to be disciplined in areas that don't even seem to be an issues.
We all kinda have the same monsters, I think. Some are just less obvious to us. It's a good reason to not judge others too quickly, since we may be pointing out our own sins.
Good stuff! I know many of my issues have not only been feeding internal "monsters", but attempts at other sorts of self-definition and fulfilment, more external in nature. We live in a generation and a culture that is fatherless. My Dad was missing, and I am left trying to figure out where I fit. Most I know are trying to discover who they are or medicate the pain of not knowing, having not thought about things deeply enough to define any sort of why to their issues. There is also a deep anger and resentment aimed at the fuzzy concept people have of God, transfering their perhaps highly justified father issues to him. Discussing these issues on a blog titled Husband, Father, Friend is entirely appropriate.
ReplyDeleteBTW...SRV is amazing. Thanks for the clip.
ReplyDeleteBTW, your post made me think of these guys:
ReplyDeletehttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/31/61616524_efadb8d7d4_m.jpg
Wait, I just BTW'd right after a BTW.
ReplyDeleteBTW, consecutive "BTW"s are strictly prohibited.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you ended this blog post (Think, grow, love, risk, fail, recover, forgive, create and have fun). I think it puts a positive, proactive spin on something that can otherwise seem impossible. Rather than giving ourselves a list of what is forbidden (though some things certainly are), it is nice to give ourselves a list of the wonderful things we can reach out & do!
ReplyDeleteBTW, thanks for all the comments!
ReplyDeleteAll these things are not "bad" in and of themselves, in fact, many are good and sweet things in our lives. Great food. A good glass of wine. Making love to our spouses. Peer respect and admiration. But, as xroadz points out, the danger is when we define ourselves by the consumption of these things and give them greater power in our lives. Like Kimmy said, the idea is to be full of joy in the full knowledge of who you are. Who God made you to be.
@ Kevin: Yeah they start off looking like that..then, after years off feed more like this
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:D
Oh dear glory, I am NOT feeding Fry Guys after midnight! I'm sorry, I won't do it again Rachel!
ReplyDelete"Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also." What price are we willing to pay for a clean conscious? I think your comment on where we place our values, how much power we give things, is crucial. To be able to lay on my back, alone and deeply know I am right with God and the world; to have the storm of guilt and regret for past stupidity quenched and quiet, to actually know and feel God's love and forgiveness is the great treasure. That we have the ability to choose life, to change direction, to leash and command our monsters by the power of God is amazing, too good to be true...but it is.
ReplyDelete"guilt and regret for past stupidity". I woke up with a memory that actually made me shudder this morning. Wow, I have really done some dumb stuff. :) Getting free can sure be a process. Every time I have to remember "That's not me anymore". I'm forgiven and changed.
ReplyDelete