Surrounding Oneself with God

Plant what is right and good for yourselves. Gather the fruit of lasting love. Break up your ground that has not been plowed. For it is time to look for the Lord, until He comes and pours His saving power on you. (Hosea 10:12)

I have read that as time goes by, Americans are becoming more and more depressed. Despite our relative wealth as a nation, despite technological advances that have made many aspects of our lives easier, we are less happy than we used to be. Why? I don't know, but I would suspect it has something to do with the things with which we surround ourselves. Think about it: The news is full of stories of crime, political backstabbing, celebrity scandals and doomsday predictions. Many television shows are crime dramas that attempt to out-do each other with gore and sensationalism. Many other so-called reality shows afford ordinary people 15 minutes of fame with which to sell their souls in the name of publicity. Our newspapers have full pages devoted to police reports and grand jury results. The fashion world tends to push the false virtue of showing more skin, which only serves to make us feel worse about the way we look. No wonder we're depressed!

I am as guilty as the rest when it comes to some of my entertainment choices. I'm thankful, however, for reruns of "Little House on the Prairie" and "The Andy Griffith Show," which are simplistic (even boring) by today's standards, but at least I'm not traumatized after watching them. It's sad that shows like that would never even be proposed to TV producers today, let alone aired. That speaks volumes about our priorities as a nation, doesn't it?

So what are we to do? Sure, we can throw out our television sets, but that seems a bit impractical. We could refuse to listen to or read the news, but then we might miss out on important announcements. Maybe we should add something to our daily routine - reading our Bibles. In the morning, instead of watching the news while eating our cereal, we could leave the TV off and instead read a few passages in the Bible. What a great way to start the day! In the evening, instead of settling in for the "hottest show on TV," perhaps we could sit on our porches or patios and read the Bible. It's full of plenty of "can't miss" stories!

What we choose to surround ourselves with is a lifestyle choice. If you want to lose weight, you have to make a conscious effort to avoid unhealthy foods and eat healthier ones. It's something that takes a determined mindset and a deep sense of resolve, but if you stick with it long enough, it eventually becomes a habit. Note to America: Want to feel less depressed? Reach for the Bible. Reading God's Word regularly is a habit guaranteed to produce positive results!