I have my fantasy football draft coming up. I’ve got my depth charts, ranking lists, latest news ready to go. I’ve figured out my keepers and the rookie running backs I want to target. I’ve renewed my vow to stay away from any Bengals, Raiders & Chiefs.
And I’ve realized that I really can’t put as much focus and attention into my fantasy football league as I used to do in the past. It’s fun and I enjoy the league. It’s a way to stay connected with some of my close friends. But, I tend to spend so much time on it so I can win, yet I’ve never had a winning season to show for it. And maybe that’s by God’s design.
I’m constantly amazed how much time I waste during the course of a day. Fantasy football ranks right up there in things that tend to take my time and attention away from the things God wants me to be doing. Not that fantasy football isn’t a good diversion for me, it is. But it needs to be put in its proper place in my life.
I make a morning offering every morning to Christ. I offer him “all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day.” I also say a traditional prayer that I found in a prayer book – “Direct, we beseech you oh Lord, our actions by your inspirations and further them by your assistance, so that every word and work of ours may begin from you and by you be likewise ended.”
The morning offering refers to “all” and the prayer refers to “every.” Not “some,” but “all” and “every.” In other words, everything that we do should be for Christ. We are allowed to have fun and enjoy hobbies and pursuits, but even these must be for Christ. If we spend too much time on our hobbies, pursuits, and diversions at the expense of work that makes an impact on our families, jobs and communities, then we are not doing everything for Christ.
I turned another year older this month. My kids are starting another year of school. Sooner rather than later, another year is going to be in the books. And when I’m rocking away at the retirement home, it’s really not going to matter who I picked as my 3rd running back or my 4th wide receiver in this year’s league.
I’m keeping my fantasy football in perspective this year. I’m going to have some fun, but I’m going to focus on what God wants me to be doing. I’m going to keep in mind that while my backup kicker may be a really great guy, I really don’t think he’s going to help me build Christ’s kingdom.
And that goes for all of our hobbies, pursuits and diversions. Take a look at how you spend your day and figure out whether every moment is spent the way God intended for you, especially in this day and age of technology when a quick five minutes checking sports scores turns into an hour or so of surfing. Or a quick game on our kids’ game systems turns into an hour trying to get to the next level.
Christ needs all of what we have to offer. We need to offer him all we do, including all that we do for fun.
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Take a look at how you spend your day and figure out whether every moment is spent the way God intended for you, especially in this day and age of technology when a quick five minutes checking sports scores turns into an hour or so of surfing.
Exactly!
I think that so many of us spend so much time in front of the computer that we don't often realize how much time we are "stealing" from the Lord. I know I struggle with this.
Recently, I read the following from Furrow, by St. Josemaria Escriva. Put it all in perspective:
#620
If you waste hours and days, if you kill time, you are opening the doors of your soul to the devil. That way of behaving is equivalent to saying to him: “Make yourself at home.”
#621
I grant you it is difficult not to waste time. But notice that God’s enemy, the “other side”, does not rest.
What is more, remember the truth that Paul, a champion of the love of God, proclaims, Tempus breve est! This life is slipping away through our fingers, and it is impossible to recover it.