Does your leisure serve your vocation?
The Default Mode
We often compartmentalize our lives. We have "God time" (Sunday morning), "Work time," "Family time," and "Me time." We fiercely protect "Me time"—our hobbies, our scrolling, our distractions—viewing them as necessary escapes from the burdens of life. When we think about spiritual growth, we rarely invite God into that protected space. We assume that as long as it’s not a sin, it’s neutral.
The Carmelite Shift
Nothing is neutral. Everything is Providence. To move from notional assent (knowing God is important) to real assent (living like it), you have to subject your "Me time" to the audit of your state in life.
Here's a necessary practical tip: Ask the person you are responsible to.
If you are a married man spending hours on a hobby, don't ask yourself if it's "bad." Ask your wife. Your holiness is bound up in her salvation and well-being. If she says, "I’m glad you like your hobby, but it’s taking away from me and the kids," that is the voice of God calling you to obedience.
The Practice
Identify one activity you do for yourself this week. Go to the primary person in your state in life (spouse, parent, boss) and ask: "Does my time spent on this serve our shared good, or does it detract from it?" Then—and this is the hard part—listen to the answer and act on it.
This is a small insight from my latest podcast episode. To listen to the full discussion and get your free "5-Minute Prayer Reset" guide to help you put these ideas into practice.
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