Beginner in the Faith

VII. Keep Good Hobbies

The faith we possess is what we live out in every second of our life. As we live Orthodoxy, we must consider how we are applying it in all aspects.

Why should I control the things I do and watch?
A lot of things harm us without ever realising it, especially in normalising sinful things. And in some cases, our hobbies becomes the very thing that tempts us to sin. This could be in reading literature that contains sexual content, engaging in the creation of such artistic depictions, movies and the things we collect. It all depends and can touch upon various sins — gluttony, pride, wrath, lust, envy, and more.

What kind of things should I avoid?
Everything we do ought to glorify God. St. Paul says even eating and drinking should be done for His glory—simple, mundane acts. This would be even more the case with things we become invested in. When I use the term "avoid", what I am mainly intending is the degree in which we participate our hobbies and the focus of these hobbies. If it is competitive and we struggle with wrath, envy, and even pride, we should consider how we are engaging in that hobby, what we can do about the struggle with these sins, and whether we should put our hobbies on hold until we are able to participate in it appropriately.

The largest thing that can help in reorienting our mindset is in making it Christ-centric — adopting the Orthodox perspective to life and regarding ourselves. More cultivation of this leads to a better engagement in other practices, more humility, and love. Read the Bible, the lives of the saints and the writings of the Fathers; as you do so, apply what you learn.

As you read the Fathers, keep in mind that not all of their writings are for laymen. A considerable amount is read with monastics and clergy in mind and would be too challenging as well as impeding for laymen to do. We must apply only what is beneficial for our journey, especially as that journey is the one God has called you to have. The only right path for you is the one He is directing you towards.

What kind of hobbies should I adopt?
Obviously, everyone is different. God did not make us all the same and He did not orient our lives so that we will be interested in doing the same things. God needs goodness in many walks of life and He does so through us as His representatives on earth. I cannot think of any hobbies specifically that would be recommended with this in mind. What you do, use it for good.

If you draw, especially secular things, try doing spiritual ones on occasion to reach the hearts of others. If you write secular books, try spiritual ones even if those are short stories or poetry. If you do sports, glorify God and give thanksgiving for what you're capable of achieving. Think of what you can do and you will surely be able to do it!