As I find myself in the middle of the third Hunger Games book, I have quickly realized why reading a good story can be so captivating. Of course there is the element of the plot itself and finding out what's going to happen. A great writer is someone who can make any reader instantly glued to the unwinding narrative. But I also think there is more than just the plot itself. Reading, or watching TV shows like I mostly do, can provide an escape from reality. Isn't it a lot easier to let ourselves be distracted from our lives for an hour or two, instead of dwelling on our own reality? When invested in a well-written and unfolding narrative, we become sucked into a world not our own. Even if that place is evil and terrible, i.e The Hunger Games, in the back of our minds we know it is not real so we cope with the evil. We let this false world envelop us, fall into a reality where we don't have homework to do, where we do not fear what's to come, and where bad things do not happen to us.
Reading is definitely one of the most healthy escape options. Some use alcohol, drugs, partying, and more destructive habits to escape their realities. Although reading is not physically destructive like excessive alcohol or drug use is, it can be dangerous if we let ourselves escape and avoid. Instead we must take the mental break, escape for a short while but return to deal with our reality. Some enter the fiction world and never return.
As a Christian, I also come to ponder that if we, myself included, use the world to distract us, momentarily or long-term, from our problems, are we ignoring God in the process? Why do we not run to him with open arms and fall into his loving embrace? Our Father calls us to this response. That is a much better option anyway. Hiding under the powerful and mighty wings of the creator of the universe seems like a no brainer. However, time and time again I, and I assume many others, run the opposite direction.
My challenge is to remove all escape options and let Christ rescue you.
He made you. He knows all things. He is all powerful. I know he's got you covered.
As I find myself in the middle of the third Hunger Games book, I have quickly realized why reading a good story can be so captivating. Of course there is the element of the plot itself and finding out what's going to happen. A great writer is someone who can make any reader instantly glued to the unwinding narrative. But I also think there is more than just the plot itself. Reading, or watching TV shows like I mostly do, can provide an escape from reality. Isn't it a lot easier to let ourselves be distracted from our lives for an hour or two, instead of dwelling on our own reality? When invested in a well-written and unfolding narrative, we become sucked into a world not our own. Even if that place is evil and terrible, i.e The Hunger Games, in the back of our minds we know it is not real so we cope with the evil. We let this false world envelop us, fall into a reality where we don't have homework to do, where we do not fear what's to come, and where bad things do not happen to us.
