Sinless Rest vs. Sinful Escape: Thoughts from a Hobby Addict

Lately, I have been acquiring many different hobbies in the past six months that I either normally never cared for or have recently been putting more time in than usual. These hobbies include television, comic books, fish tanks, fishing, and novels. Along with more than just these, I HAVE to stop myself and do some introspection: Are all of these hobbies I invest money and time in sinless rest or sinful escape?

Sinless Rest

Everything on this planet has been graciously given to us by God. Every good thing! Every flavor. Every friend. Every job that we have. Every time we get paid. EVERYTHING. When it comes to hobbies, it is no different. All the common materials and enjoyments that we partake in on a either a weekly basis or yearly basis are referred to as common grace. Grace from God in either the little or big things that come our way on a common basis. This may include a tender steak or an engaging television show. After a long day at work or a busy week running all over the place, it is nice to come home, take a shower (common grace), and just relax. We all love relaxing. We love our hobbies. We love our television shows, books, and hanging out with friends, and shopping. These are all great things that the Lord gives, but shouldn’t just end with enjoyment, but roll up into praise for the enjoyment giver. Praise not just because of the lavish satisfaction he gives in created things, but because the creator is that much more satisfying. Eternally satisfying. However, just like any and everything else, good things can turn into sin, quickly.

Sinful Escape

Escaping from reality has been a phrase that I have known for a while now, but recently seems as if I am hearing it often. I am currently reading a novel for college dealing with video games and technology titled Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It deals heavily with a teenage character and world called “OASIS”, which is basically a virtual reality for gaming and even living. Wade, the teenage character who narrates his journey through this virtual world explicitly states, “Maybe it isn’t a good idea to tell a newly arrived human being that he’s been born into a world of chaos, pain, and poverty just in time to watch everything fall to pieces. I discovered all of that gradually over several years, and it still made me feel like jumping off a bridge. Luckily, I had access to the OASIS, which was like having an escape hatch into a better reality. The OASIS kept me sane. It was my playground and my preschool, a magical place where anything was possible.” (Cline, 18) It is quite funny how this made up novel sounds just like our world today. Guess what, we all seem to deal with this temptation. There are so many activities, crafts, hobbies, and things in general to get addicted to. To invest too much money in. To invest too much time in. To try to escape this broken world. The biggest question is: What makes it sinful? If we are running to anything, but the gospel in times of anguish, fear, anger, or even restlessness we are running not to escape, but to a trap.

When the Escape is really a Trap

I am one of the most guilty when it comes to resorting to comfort, rest, and pleasure in television shows rather than God himself. Rather than His Word and Prayer. The escape from a long day at work or a mini escape into another fantasy world before having to go to work usually leads to more of a trap. Nothing on Earth satisfies, so if we put ALL of our hope and satisfaction into our hobbies, we will turn out worse than we were.

What Tends to Happen When We Elevate our Hobbies?

• Cannot control the amount of money spent on hobby related items

• Cannot control the time invested in hobbies

• Cannot control our emotions related to our hobbies (Hobbies get us excited, God and His Word become boring)

• Once the three points listed above start occurring, our life becomes….WACK.

The Christian’s “OASIS”

Just like in the novel, Ready Player One, OASIS really does exist. An OASIS that provides an escape hatch into a better reality. A place that keeps you sane. A playground and a preschool. What is this OASIS? God and His Word. The One who turns dead men into life. The One who gives peace. The One who gives rest. The One who supplies our greatest joys. The One who gives hobbies. The One who supplies a playground. The One who teaches us about Him and the world we live in. The reality we live in. It is no coincidence that an Oasis is a spring where no water is to be found. Our hobbies might not satisfy, but there is a spring that can. It is overflowing and eternal. “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Jesus calls and says “Come Drink” What a King! What a Savior!

Conclusion

It is very easy to resort to a sinful escape from reality. It is easy to invest all the time and money you have in entertainment. God calls you to something greater. He calls you to Himself. He calls you to take action in the reality you are in, instead of escaping from it. He calls you to enjoy the good gifts/hobbies He gives you for the Praise and Glory of His name.

6 Signs You Might Qualify For Sinful Escape

1. Your hobbies get you more excited than God and His Word?

2. You tend to resort to hobbies rather God Himself in times of anguish, stress or joy?

3. You tend to invest more money in hobbies rather than giving and being frugal?

4. You tend to talk more about your hobbies and free time rather than God’s Word and what He is actively doing in your life.

5. You will do everything you can to make time for your hobbies.

6. You are afraid of losing time or items related to hobbies because you will not have anything else to do in your free time.