It’s happened to me, and may have happened to you.  Ever played a game for over 3 hours straight?  My favorite ones are either the newest Metal Gear series/Uncharted or a great RPG (I can get completely lost in a great JRPG).  But, this can actually get in the way of life.  Yes, it’s great to have a hobby and game, but it needs to have a balance and not be the focus of your life (unless you make a living from it!).

A great way to make sure your not delving into gaming overdose is to take a break and do something else.  Have a schedule, plan out your free time so you can have it uninterrupted (the best you can) and just relax.  Take a walk, finish those chores you neglected, make that phone call you forgot about, or help around the house.  Exercise is a great way to stretch those muscles that haven’t moved since you’ve been playing for over 3 hours.  To me, personally, gaming is a way to just chill out and enjoy.  I don’t drink, smoke, club, or even watch sports (except for the Olympics and World Cup Soccer, which I haven’t stopped watching this past week!) but I will pick up my PS3 controller and do my thing.  Yet, at the same time, I know my limits, and will (do my best) stop playing and take a break.  Especially once that headache starts settling in…

Today, I want you to come away knowing that if your a gamer, gaming is a part of your life.  And that’s ok.  People may not understand why you want to game, but that’s ok too.  I personally don’t understand why people waste their money on booze and clubbing, when for the same price of a six pack they could have bought a memorable experience on PSN 🙂

Strengthen your spirit on those times off gaming too.  Grab a book like Purpose Driven Life, or read an online devotional daily so you can get something positive in you.  Learn to control your habits so that they don’t control you.  If you can’t seem to stop playing for hours on end, pray and ask God to give you the grace and strength to overcome the addiction.  I used to play for 6 hours when a game was good, only stopping to go to the bathroom or do whatever was needed in the house (very quickly!).  Today, I have a wife who I love to spend as much time as I can with so I dedicate my gaming time to when I know she’s busy.  Manage your day, or it will manage you.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Time for Everything

3 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.