I found myself reminiscing my college video game days with a couple junior highers at life group. We were talking about our shared affinity for Halo and how we could play for hours.
I was sharing that in college I played so much Halo the game display was burned into my retinas. When I closed my eyes in bed I could still see the screen.
Something happened between college and now. My time is not invested in games like it used to be and freedom to use my time how I wish has only increased. I don't think video games are inherently bad, although the excess above is less than good stewardship.
With my desires to follow fast after my King and use my life in a way that makes him look good, I find the presence of video games to be a hinderance to be avoided.
It has been said that the difference between you now and a year from now is the books you read and the people you meet. With that knowledge I put myself in a heavy regiment of reading and schedule my weeks around opportunities to invest in people.
If I ever download a new game app on my phone, the small moments that can be used for reading become the default time to make sure I grabbed all the coins on the next Mario level. Where my leisure or study time was filled with learning it is now consumed but the psychological need to level up and push my stats.
After a couple weeks, I realize there is no positive difference between the man I was and now am. I have stunted my growth and reverted back to filling my time with selfish enagament toward bytes.
I don't take the side that it is an evil to be completely avoided but, like most everything in life, it is something that can be allotted too much time and attention. And for some it holds an addictive sway that demands more and more attention.
Some find a game as a necessary spot of relaxation and decompression, and I admit it can be that, but where that is my first "reason" I am quickly thrust back into the world and find it hard to pull out.
The games are an active hindrance for me that requires active discipline to assure that my time is not held captive by it. I delete a game from my device, fondly miss it for a day, after a week realize I finished a book, and in three weeks engage in conversation extropolating, teaching or challenging based off of what I read. My ability to plug into people increases when I unplug from games.
There is much to do and many people to engage with for the Kingdom. Put rythyms of rest into your life but make sure they are not hinderances that will latch onto your interests, time and effectiveness.