In past generations, working 10-12 hours, six days a week was not uncommon. Today, many have a forty hour work week. At the same time, labor-saving devices and processes have reduced the time requirements of much of the "drudgery" of life. Leisure time, time in which we have no external obligations and can choose how we spend it, has exploded. This is even more true for young adults, whose educational time obligations are usually significantly less than those who are working full time. What should we as Christians do with all that free time?
One thing is for sure: we have many choices. In fact, many people have a feeling of stress in their leisure time, concerned that there is something else they could be doing that they would enjoy even more. Others fight boredom in their leisure time, sated with the recreational and entertainment choices they have consumed. Let's examine several major categories of activities with which we can fill our leisure time, and make some observations about them from the perspective of a young Christian seeking to please the Lord.
Sports and Extra-Curricular Activities
There are many sports and extracurricular group activities in which a young Christian can participate. They provide opportunities to learn teamwork, good sportsmanship, healthy competition, skill and talent development, discovery and pursuit of personal interests, and many other benefits. They also require the young Christian to make wise decisions to avoid compromise. An activity may make time demands that interfere with the worship services of the church, and the Christian needs to be ready to put God first. Some activities put pressure on the Christian to violate standards of modesty. As we stand for what is right in these activities, we may find opportunities to share our faith with others.
Socializing
Socially-oriented activities are a major part of growing up. Development of healthy relationships with other human beings is an important skill with lifelong benefits. Unfortunately, many people's ideas of fun include consumption of alcohol or drugs, lascivious dancing, risky or daredevil behavior, the consumption of ungodly entertainment, criminal activity, or the pursuit of sexual immorality. It doesn't help that our society promotes the idea that socializing has to be done in the total absence of responsible adults. Young Christians would do well to find companions who share their standards with which to socialize (1 Cor. 15:33).
Entertainment
For many years we have been inundated with a glut of entertainment choices as new movies are constantly released and the number of cable channels has reached the triple digits. As the world of on-demand media takes off, the choices are redoubling again. The job of the entertainment industry is to provide an experience that will delight your senses and keep you coming back for more. As a Christian, have you developed standards based on God's word for what you will and will not consume in your entertainment? Are you applying your standards consistently (Prov. 4:23)? Remember, if you go to the world for entertainment, you get what the world thinks is entertaining.
Internet
The internet is a conduit that brings an ever-expanding world of information, entertainment, and communication into our homes and minds. It is revolutionizing how human society interacts and how almost everything gets done. At the same time that it enables great things to be accomplished that couldn't even be imagined a few years ago, it also makes it possible for fleshly lusts to war against the soul in ways that couldn't be imagined a few years ago. Be warned! Pornography will turn off your spiritual life, make your god your belly, and cause you to glory in your shame (Phil. 3:19). If you are caught, get help from your Christian brothers or sisters in getting free!
Social Media
We have so many new ways to connect with other human beings. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that God intends us to use these connections not just so the world can know what our cat is doing right now, but that "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). Christian, shine your light through social media! Please be aware that contentions, strife, gossip, slander, wrath, backbiting, bitterness, deceit, corrupt communication, and jealousy are just as sinful on social media as they are in real life.
Personal Development
Do you have pursuits that give you fulfillment in your leisure time? I mean activities that will reward dedicated, disciplined, sustained effort and that will make you into a more well-rounded and complete human being? Do you participate in activities that allow you to express the unique creativity that you possess as a person made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27)? If you don't, I want you to find some, and make the conscious effort to not spend all of your leisure time in frivolous pursuits that have no lasting value, but on real things that will make a difference in your life and the lives of others. Recent studies report that the average young person spends 7.5 hours a day consuming media, most of which have little more value than as a distraction. Don't let that happen to you!
Good Works
We have discussed how as Christians we can use our leisure time in a way that will honor God. We began by noting that the reduction in work hours in our society has produced an increase of leisure time. Of course, the primary purpose of work is to provide for the needs of ourselves and our household. But there is another purpose of work expressed in Ephesians 4:28: "that he may have something to give him who has need." Guess what? Doing good works is our God-assigned leisure activity (Matt. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; Tit. 3:1, 8, 14; Heb. 10:24; 1 Pet. 2:12). If we are not making time for doing good for others, we are too busy!
- Truth Magazine, July 2016