Confession of a Gamer

Since writing this post, I've really been struck on the effect of sin.

You know the story/myth about hunting a wolf? How you coat a knife with layers of frozen blood - then you set it out. When the wolf find it, it'll lick it furiously - lapping up the blood. But very quickly, what the wolf doesn't realize in its feeding frenzy is that it is drinking up its own blood, and ends up dead either w/o knowing or knowing too late.

Well, sin is a bit like that. At the onset, it taste good. It may even be innocent. But before long, you are hooked on it, get into a feeding frenzy - you don't want to stop, justifying that it is ok. It isn't a problem, you just don't want to stop.

Playing computer games is fine. But I got a bit excessive. Did I mention I'd completed all 515 levels of candy crush in half a year? I got into Mechwarrior Online, and played lots of it. Then WarThunder - and played lots of it - especially when my family was away in Dec. LOTS. I knew it was affecting me, but I just didn't want to stop. Even upon reflection, and looking at resolutions, I couldn't bring myself to stop, so justified by just - wanting to moderate it. It just tasted too good.

Took me 2-3 days after writing that post, that God convicted my heart - through and through. I had to stop. If I wanted to grow as a Christian, if I wanted my photography to improve, if wanted lots of things done, I needed to stop my obsessive addiction to computer games. Or 2014 would be a waste, like I felt 2013 was.

And so, after I finally cleared level 515 on Candy Crush (on Monday night) - more than any of the hundreds of FB friends I know playing, no more levels until they release more, I decided to hang up my computer "boots", and go on a sabbatical on games, till such time I feel "free" of its cling on me, and have instead been reading, both books and the bible, learning my photoshop which I'd wanted to.

I took a first step in "confessing" to my bible study mates on Tuesday, about my addiction, and my repentance.

Hi, My Name is Soo Sing, and I am a Gamer.

And it sure feels like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. 

^{Romans 7:15,17,18}
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...   As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

^{Romans 6:6-12}
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.