My Video Game Addiction

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We all struggle with different addictions. I used to be a huge video game addict. I grew up in a home where we would play all night and go to sleep at 3 am and then sleep in so we could do it all again. I weighed about 300 pounds in that lifestyle After God delivered me I was down to about 200.

When we bought bigger and better TV's and game systems I thought that I would be satisfied with them. When I would play them they were fun but they didn't have the satisfaction I thought they would give me. I realized that I was just starting at the TV screen all day and night and not really accomplishing anything.

When I started working with Jews for Jesus as a student at Moody Bible Institute I asked God to help me stop my addiction and He slowly has!!! One verse that convicted me was in Proverbs:  "Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty." Proverbs 28:19 NIV

One of my favorite games to play was Final Fantasy and this verse shows that I should not be wasting my time in that way. I wanted to ask God to help me use that time instead for serving the Lord.

Since then I for a long time tried to stay away from them, knowing I could easily fall back into the same temptation.

To replace that time I found ways to store up treasure in heaven instead using the same tools. We at Jews for Jesus had a way to go walk around in the game "Second Life' and tell people there about Jesus. I also used my computer and phone to tell people about Jesus on sites like Omegle.com or Facebook.

I have two daughters. I hadn't been gaming for a long time. One day I read a study that said that daughters who play video games with their dads feel closer to him than those who don't. My daughters and I have "daughter dates" each week, and we switch whose turn it is weekly. I decided from that study to take only a few minutes with them each week playing video games on the computer one on one.

Last week we were in St Louis. While there we saw my brother-in law who is moving to Japan. He offered me his Wii. At first I said no. Then I flip-flopped, and said yes. He packed it up, and put it in a box for me to bring home. The next morning I was reading the Bible and I read a chapter of Proverbs. (Each day I read the chapter that matches the day--chapter 5 for day 5, etc as there are 31 chapters and usually 31 days of a month. I would suggest this for anyone as it is so practical and applicational) Guess what day of the month it was and chapter it was? You got it, 28th!!! The one I mentioned above: "Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty." Proverbs 28:19 NIV
I prayed and asked God if it was wise to take it home or not and I feel He said "No." I was tempted to take it anyway, and I asked God to help me leave it there, and He did!!!!

HALLELUJAH!!!

That was not my power. Jesus did it all!!! I keep reminding myself I will get plenty of time to play games in heaven.


IF JESUS CAN HELP ME, HE CAN HELP THEE!!  (with this or any other addiction of choice)