In the 5 months since my surgery God has been dealing with me about my sinful obsessions. The things in my life which, at times, have taken God's rightful place in my life. Food and eating has been the main issue but as I've studied God's word He's pointed out others. One that I dealt with quite a while before surgery was my obsession with Disney and Disney World.
All you have to know about me is that I own all the major Disney animated features on DVD (over 60 of them), receive a Disney World newsletter each week, download a weekly podcast devoted to the news and discussion things about Walt Disney World, and composed a 150 page book recounting m 2004 Disney World Vacation, to know that I've put a lot of my life into the Wonderful World of Disney.
It's been a couple of years since has God dealt with my putting Disney ahead of Him in my life. I know that sounds strange to be calling a fascination with something as "innocent" as Disney as sin but it was in my life. God brought me to point of change and then showed me the height to which I had elevated Disney in my life. I guess the repentance took some time but once I realized what I was guilty of I asked God to keep from every letting Disney hold that place in my life again.
I had no problem for the longest time because I had only a peripheral interest in Disney. My collection of Disney movies is complete and I have decided that cost of another week long vacation to visit Mickey & friends in Orlando is way too high. Paula and I have too many other, relatively less expensive, places we want to visit.
But my interest in Disney has picked up recently because of 3 things. I started reading the weekly newsletter from beginning to end again, downloaded the podcast to my MP3 player to listen to in the car. Both of those things were started up again as a result of a mention of the possibility of my son, Michael, and I making a 4 day weekend trip to "The World" in 2011 to celebrate his 30th birthday. Ironically I am the one who suggested the trip. The reason I did was because I knew that Michael would love going back to Disney World again. He and I are the only family members who would be interested in returning. My intention was to simply do something that I knew Michael would love. I didn't intend to open the door for the return of a temptation in my life.
The appeal of all things Disney and it's potential to captivate my time and energy is an easy portal for the sin of idolatry to gain a foothold. It's like dancing with the Devil. It's very dangerous.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Disney is the devil; not at all. In fact, Disney World is a testimony to the imagination and creative abilities of men instilled by God since creation. God has allowed places like Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and works of art such as Disney movies to exist for our pleasure. He's such a loving God. He knows how to bless His children.
However, in my sinful nature, there will always be the temptation to get lost in Disney and become obsessed. The Wonderful World of Disney can swallow up one's time, money, and heart. There are many people in this world to whom this has happened. But it shouldn't happen to a Christian.
I've already committed all of my life (including my heart, soul, money, and time) to Christ. He created them and owns them anyway so I have given them back to him. I can't be deceived by Satan into believing that I have the right or privilege to use those life assets for my own purposes and exclusively for my own pleasure. I belong to God.
Now if I can get to a place where I can prioritize my heart and life so as not to become sinful while enjoying Disney stuff then that's fine. But that's a dangerously thin line to walk. If I can manage my finances to where I can afford a 2011 trip to Disney World with my son after fulfilling God's commandment to give then perhaps we'll make the trip. But I must not allow myself to once again let Disney sit on the throne of my heart and be the center of my mind. That is a sinful violation of God's commandment to place no other gods before Him.
I'm not sure I can do that. If I can't avoid "the dance" then perhaps I'll just have to stop listening to the "music" .
All you have to know about me is that I own all the major Disney animated features on DVD (over 60 of them), receive a Disney World newsletter each week, download a weekly podcast devoted to the news and discussion things about Walt Disney World, and composed a 150 page book recounting m 2004 Disney World Vacation, to know that I've put a lot of my life into the Wonderful World of Disney.
It's been a couple of years since has God dealt with my putting Disney ahead of Him in my life. I know that sounds strange to be calling a fascination with something as "innocent" as Disney as sin but it was in my life. God brought me to point of change and then showed me the height to which I had elevated Disney in my life. I guess the repentance took some time but once I realized what I was guilty of I asked God to keep from every letting Disney hold that place in my life again.
I had no problem for the longest time because I had only a peripheral interest in Disney. My collection of Disney movies is complete and I have decided that cost of another week long vacation to visit Mickey & friends in Orlando is way too high. Paula and I have too many other, relatively less expensive, places we want to visit.
But my interest in Disney has picked up recently because of 3 things. I started reading the weekly newsletter from beginning to end again, downloaded the podcast to my MP3 player to listen to in the car. Both of those things were started up again as a result of a mention of the possibility of my son, Michael, and I making a 4 day weekend trip to "The World" in 2011 to celebrate his 30th birthday. Ironically I am the one who suggested the trip. The reason I did was because I knew that Michael would love going back to Disney World again. He and I are the only family members who would be interested in returning. My intention was to simply do something that I knew Michael would love. I didn't intend to open the door for the return of a temptation in my life.
The appeal of all things Disney and it's potential to captivate my time and energy is an easy portal for the sin of idolatry to gain a foothold. It's like dancing with the Devil. It's very dangerous.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Disney is the devil; not at all. In fact, Disney World is a testimony to the imagination and creative abilities of men instilled by God since creation. God has allowed places like Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and works of art such as Disney movies to exist for our pleasure. He's such a loving God. He knows how to bless His children.
However, in my sinful nature, there will always be the temptation to get lost in Disney and become obsessed. The Wonderful World of Disney can swallow up one's time, money, and heart. There are many people in this world to whom this has happened. But it shouldn't happen to a Christian.
I've already committed all of my life (including my heart, soul, money, and time) to Christ. He created them and owns them anyway so I have given them back to him. I can't be deceived by Satan into believing that I have the right or privilege to use those life assets for my own purposes and exclusively for my own pleasure. I belong to God.
Now if I can get to a place where I can prioritize my heart and life so as not to become sinful while enjoying Disney stuff then that's fine. But that's a dangerously thin line to walk. If I can manage my finances to where I can afford a 2011 trip to Disney World with my son after fulfilling God's commandment to give then perhaps we'll make the trip. But I must not allow myself to once again let Disney sit on the throne of my heart and be the center of my mind. That is a sinful violation of God's commandment to place no other gods before Him.
I'm not sure I can do that. If I can't avoid "the dance" then perhaps I'll just have to stop listening to the "music" .
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