God Wants Our Everything

I went to a church service last night and the speaker said something that I have been struggling with: He said that God does not want half of us; He doesn't want some of our time and attention or some of our commitment. He wants ALL. I don't think we could ever really know God and be truly transformed unless we give Him our all. I don't believe that He can give us all that He wants to give us either if we aren't prepared to give Him everything we are. The hymn Nothing Between really captured my feelings even as I struggle to give Jesus my all and surrender myself completely to Him:

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world's delusive dream,
I have renounced all sinful pleasure,
Jesus is mine, there's nothing between.

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen,
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear; let nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure,
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever,
He is my all! There's nothing between.

Nothing between e'en many hard trials,
Though the world against me convene,
Watching with prayer and much self-denial,
Triumph at last! With nothing between!

The verse about habits that seem harmless especially got me. There are some habits I indulge in and I don't believe they're outright sin - like for instance, I enjoy watching various secular television shows. At first, I didn't think there was anything wrong with that. But the thing is that these shows depict things that are not of God - murder, adultery, fornication, revenge. They also incite negative feelings inside me when I watch them - feelings of intense dislike for certain characters; wanting revenge and retribution. I used to think that it was all just innocent entertainment, that I'm not committing any sin by watching. Honestly, I can't say that it is sin or not, but I know that the Bible says this:

Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things. Philippians 4:8

Anything that is not of God could not possibly fit that description. So when I watch these shows, I feel guilty, and I ask myself, 'what's the reason you're watching this? What can you gain spiritually by watching it?.' I always come up empty, but I still find myself watching the shows. A Christian I know once said that our lives must be balanced between the spiritual and the worldly. This statement couldn't me wrong. Our entire being should be focused and pointed toward the spiritual. The temporal is fleeting, but the spiritual is forever.

Jesus said in a parable, 'occupy till I come (Luke 19:13), but I don't believe he meant occupy time in worldly pleasures that have nothing to do with our salvation and the salvation of others. He wants our everything, all the time. And it's not much to ask of us considering what He has done for us, and what He has promised us despite our disobedience. Thank God for His never ending grace, mercy, and love.

It's going to be difficult, but I need to make Philippians 4:8 my criteria for EVERYTHING that I choose partake in.