Hobbies. Everybody has them. I definitely do. I love to bake, sing, cook, write, make crafts and do all the other things teenage girls enjoy doing. I do a lot of these things for my own entertainment- because I like doing them. But the other day I was pondering over the things I do, why I do them, and how they affect my life. Am I glorifying God in everything I do? Or just doing them for my own benefit and pleasure? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says---"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
I like to bake sweets, and I bake more often the not, and 99% of the time I personally enjoy and consume a majority of the finished product afterwards. But as of there, my hobby is entertaining my own personal benefits. But how much of all that glorified God? Obviously, sweets aren't good for you, and though I don't personally think its a sin to eat them. I don't think it's good to eat them a lot, or until you get sick. The Bible even mentions being gluttonous is a sin, and one of the fruits of the spirit is self control, you certainly aren't practicing self control by stuffing yourself right? So back to the subject, how do I get to enjoy baking often, but keep self control and glorify God as well? I found one answer the other day when I was baking a batch of cookies. Instead of keeping them for myself, I gave them to some friends who were in the process of moving into a new house. I still had the pleasure of making them, and I got even more pleasure in seeing how much the family enjoyed them. (Plus the fact I didn't feel guilty and fat after too many chocolate chip cookies...everybody knows I love those. *grins*) God wants us to be kind and generous, giving and loving, and sharing what we have with others. And when we do those things, God never fails to reward us. It's a good feeling, isn't it?
I also enjoy write and draw, and the other day I was sitting at my desk wanting something to doodle, so I looked around my room trying to think of something. I don't know how it came about, but before long, I was writing my favorite verses and inspirational quotes on a piece of paper- including my favorite verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing" I ended up putting that paper on my board above my computer, just so I could see it a lot. I love 1 Thes. 5:17, maybe because it is a good reminder for me to pray, not just once in a while. But all the time! Having it on my wall is good for me, it motivates me everyday and inspires me to pray more...a lot more then a random little picture and a rhyme I might have wrote and drew if that scripture hadn't come to mind.
I like to bake sweets, and I bake more often the not, and 99% of the time I personally enjoy and consume a majority of the finished product afterwards. But as of there, my hobby is entertaining my own personal benefits. But how much of all that glorified God? Obviously, sweets aren't good for you, and though I don't personally think its a sin to eat them. I don't think it's good to eat them a lot, or until you get sick. The Bible even mentions being gluttonous is a sin, and one of the fruits of the spirit is self control, you certainly aren't practicing self control by stuffing yourself right? So back to the subject, how do I get to enjoy baking often, but keep self control and glorify God as well? I found one answer the other day when I was baking a batch of cookies. Instead of keeping them for myself, I gave them to some friends who were in the process of moving into a new house. I still had the pleasure of making them, and I got even more pleasure in seeing how much the family enjoyed them. (Plus the fact I didn't feel guilty and fat after too many chocolate chip cookies...everybody knows I love those. *grins*) God wants us to be kind and generous, giving and loving, and sharing what we have with others. And when we do those things, God never fails to reward us. It's a good feeling, isn't it?
I also enjoy write and draw, and the other day I was sitting at my desk wanting something to doodle, so I looked around my room trying to think of something. I don't know how it came about, but before long, I was writing my favorite verses and inspirational quotes on a piece of paper- including my favorite verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing" I ended up putting that paper on my board above my computer, just so I could see it a lot. I love 1 Thes. 5:17, maybe because it is a good reminder for me to pray, not just once in a while. But all the time! Having it on my wall is good for me, it motivates me everyday and inspires me to pray more...a lot more then a random little picture and a rhyme I might have wrote and drew if that scripture hadn't come to mind. 
I could give you many little illustrations of ways to glorify God in your everyday things, but it really isn't hard to find ways to do so on your own. We all want what we do to be pleasing to God, do we not? This week I encourage you to do the same and do your best and find a way you can be pleasing to God in your everyday practices and hobbies.
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