Guarding Our Minds

Popular entertainment is becoming increasingly dark and sinful. What should we do? How can we avoid the traps and protect our precious minds?

You’ve probably heard the phrase “You are what you eat.” But have you ever heard the phrase “You are what you watch, read and listen to”? What we allow into our minds has a profound effect on our mental and spiritual well-being. Are we being careful when it comes to making entertainment choices?

While there are countless choices, not much of what media offers us is good—or good for us. Many of today’s most popular movies, television shows, music videos and best-selling books have themes that have become increasingly more violent, sexually permissive, perverted, dark and evil. In many ways, the description “a perverse generation” (Acts 2:40) fits our times well.

Just look at your TV listings or browse a streaming video provider like Netflix. You will find that many of the movies have titles, cover photos and subject matter that glorify and promote various sins (such as fornication, adultery and homosexuality); are graphically violent; and are filled with filthy language. Entertainment that is geared toward teens and young adults is filled with dark themes often centering around vampires, witches, zombies, etc. Today bookstores devote entire sections to young adult novels about vampires!

No darkness

God hates all these things! “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). We need to be aware of how Satan works to influence our minds. Ephesians 2:2 shows us that Satan is “the prince of the power of the air.” He broadcasts his messages through different forms of entertainment. He uses our natural curiosity and our desire to view what others are doing to lure us in. The more sin he gets us to view or read about, the more he desensitizes us to it.   

But God’s Word warns us to “not lust after evil things” (1 Corinthians 10:6). We also know that Satan is crafty and subtle. Have you noticed how often television and movies show sinful behavior in a comedic and lighthearted way? This often makes sin seem less offensive and, over time, more acceptable.

Guard our minds

Are we being careful to guard and protect our minds? Ephesians 4:27 warns us not to “give place to the devil.” And 1 Corinthians 5:9 tells us “not to keep company with sexually immoral people.” Could we be guilty of doing just that with the shows we watch or the novels we read? Do we find ourselves enjoying entertainment that is nothing more than sinful behavior surrounded by an interesting story? Are we at risk of being “conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) by bathing our minds in its various forms of entertainment?

God wants us to be extremely careful that we don’t allow sinful images, words and lyrics into our minds. He wants us to have pure minds and to be mentally and spiritually healthy (1 Corinthians 3:16).

We have choices

Should we then stop watching movies and throw out our TV? Not necessarily, but we need to remember that our time is precious and we need to consider carefully how we spend it. We can pray to God and ask Him to “turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things” (Psalm 119:37). Also, we cannot neglect reading our Bible, which is God speaking to us through His Word!

We have choices. We must be sure that we are making all our choices with God’s standards in mind. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

It matters to God what is in our mind, as well as on our mind. We must protect it and guard it!

For further insight into the media choices we make, read “A Desensitized Existence.”