We have all been encouraged to eliminate negative things in our lives. But what about the things that are not really that bad, but they are not really that good for us either?
Neutral Things
I love the phrase “gird your loins” which is used 26 times in the Bible. It refers to when people wore long, flowing robes and needed to tie them up when preparing for work, battle or needing to move about freely. Their robes could trip them up if left in place and unattended. This is how I see neutral things in my life when they begin to distract me, suck up too much time or become an end in themselves.
Examples in My Life
- Watching too much college football
- Scrolling through too many woodworking videos on YouTube
- Listening to distracting music that preoccupies my mind when I could be brainstorming about something helpful
Examples in Clients’ Lives
- Watching/reading too much social media/news
- Working longer hours than is healthy
- Playing a game on their phone to distraction
- Allowing a hobby to become a big part of their identity
All these things can be healthy and restorative when done in moderation. It is when they begin to become distractions and even compulsions that they cross the line and begin to trip us up.
Girding
To begin the “girding” process consider asking for input from those closest to you professionally and personally. Tell them you are trying to grow and ask if they see areas in your life where you have drifted into unhealthy distraction. You could also track how you spend your time for an average week and see if something jumps out at you when the time is added up.
Once you identify an area needing attention consider an initial purge to see how big of a hold it has on you. If you determine the activity is helpful you can slowly reintroduce it but with clear boundaries set. There are plenty of time limits you can place on your phone and computer to help with this.
What needs “girding” in your life?
