Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. | Philippians 4:8
I started a series in response to our Media Trauma weekend a few weeks ago and then got sidetracked. You can read the first two HERE and HERE. I am going to pick up where I left off, identifying what need we are trying to fulfill when we go to media.
Once needs are established, it is important to address whether or not media is helping to meet them. One of the tools that our speaker gave us to help with this is the flow state. Simply defined, the flow state is when our resources and our challenges are in balance. We are met with something to be mastered and we have the tools necessary to do it. Whether this be problem solving in math, creating a piece of art, or climbing a mountain, the flow state is when we are facing the struggle ahead of us with the ability to accomplish it (we don’t even have to do it well, we just need to do it).
It isn’t that simple, because every step of the flow state is a process of testing, and growing our limits. It isn’t about being comfortable, but about stretching ourselves. This means: to enter the flow state requires facing stress and taking on risk. You don’t get the benefit without pushing through some barriers.
Sometimes when you find the courage to step up and take something on that is a challenge, you will be met with failure. This is what makes it hard. We are not assured that stretching ourselves is going to ‘work,’ and it is always easier not to. What technology and media have done is given us an easy out. When things get hard, there is always an easier path. We get sucked into these less challenging ways of living life, and with them, we minimize personal growth.
One of the things that the flow state does is heals the damaged parts of us. When we accomplish and overcome, in helps to undo the trauma and pain of previous struggle. It isn’t just that media is providing us with a slow drip of trauma, but it is also distracting us from the ways that we naturally heal from it.
God designed human beings to heal. We see this clearly in the body. We get a cut, the skin heals. We break a bone (assuming that it is set properly), it heals. We get sick, and our immune system goes to work to make us well. The same is true for the brain. When we are hurt and emotionally damaged, we have built in ways to rewire our brains. God knew that sin would scar us, so He gave us these complicated minds that repair themselves. In order for this to happen, we have to take the steps that lead to healing. We need to pursue what is good, not just try to avoid what is bad. In the verse above, we see Paul pointing this out to the church in Phillipi. His guidance here is spiritual, but like all of God’s commands, it provides a practical benefit as well. If you focus on what is good and pure, you will push through the difficulties to get to what is excellent. On the flip side, if you look at the frustrations, you become overwhelmed and defer to what is easy and requires the least of you. We need to find a way to motivate ourselves to what will heal us and away from what stagnates our growth.
One of the answers is: hobbies. While hobbies can become counterfeit gods when we look to them for ultimate purpose, they are a helpful tool to combat our laziness. By laziness, I mean our tendency to avoid what is best for us because it is hard. What hobbies do is motivate us to enter into the flow state under the banner of fun. We pick something we enjoy and take the challenges that come with it. As we face these momentary difficulties, we push through them for the sake of what we love. In this, we are healing ourselves without knowing it.
So put down your phone and pick up a challenge, your mind will thank you!