Spiritual Growth & Video Games

Spiritual growth is an adventure, are you brave enough for the quest?

One of my all-time favourite video game series is The Legend of Zelda. I have enjoyed every title I have played in this vast collection. One of the greatest additions to the franchise is The Breath of the Wild. This game was regarded by some as the greatest game ever made.[1]

It’s fantastic, tons of fun, and a great story that every amazing video game needs to have. When you begin the game, you start on a location called “The Great Plateau.” This is where they essentially give you the tutorial and backstory to the game. As I started playing and getting a lay of the land, I figured I was more or less covering the entire map of the game. I explored the space and understood what I was working with.

As you finish out one of the first quests you are introduced to the rest of the map, and I am embarrassed to even admit that I was very wrong with how large the game was. The Great Plateau makes up perhaps 1% of the entire map! I assumed my entire world was 1% of what was available to me.

As you continue in the game you find villages, landscapes, and people to journey with you. Breath of the Wild offers challenges against dark foes and puzzles that need to be worked out to move forward.

I’ve realized there have been seasons in my life where I feel I’ve unlocked the most life could offer me but I’ve explored 1% of what God has given me.

We have been given so much in our spiritual growth, but we decided to stay on the plateau instead of exploring the vast expanse of mountains, streams, lakes, snow, and deserts.

So, here are a few questions to consider in your spiritual adventures, after accepting the invitation from Christ and entering a relationship with him will you have the courage to jump and enter into new lands? Will you learn more about who God is and who you are and how he made you to live and move and have your being? To experience pain, suffering, growth, and victory? To be part of a community of other adventurers who will help and encourage you but who will also likely hurt and betray you?

Or will you stay on the plateau where it is safe, comfortable, and quite likely lonely? Where the story no longer progresses and growth ceases. No new discoveries are found, and no relationships are formed that have any true depth or meaning. Instead of meeting other pilgrims along the way and growing together, we stay where it is comfortable and where we can be alone.

Keep in mind that there is not a single good story in existence that has no conflict.

Breath of the Wild is really easy if you believe the game ends after you get a paraglider and can leave the Great Plateau but it would also be super boring and disappointing. Jumping off the plateau takes courage, enemies are out there, and it can be scary, but great treasures can also be found!

Take the jump don’t settle for easy and boring. Experience the spiritual disciplines, experience being known in a church family, experience the Christian life.