Eat, Pray, Love

You either love it or hate it I guess. Any way you look at it, the movie brings up some deep issues and can't be left undiscussed. So, here goes for my two cents. I heard two comments before seeing the movie; first, "it was terrible" and second, it is about "self indulgence." Okay, fair enough. Opinions. We each come with our own ball of wax or can of worms, whichever you choose to call it. So we come with IT, to the theatre and watch an actress do her thing on the big screen. I happened to read an article today on Julia Roberts' role in this film. She mentioned having her family along on the entire journey of filming on location. Quite opposite her character's lifestyle choice.
Back to the movie, Eat, Pray, Love. Should we as Christians have a problem with this movie? I say no....and here's why. The story that unfolds is of a lost woman searching for her meaning in life. In my opinion, she never truly finds it. She ends up concluding that 1) "god" lives in her and is her and 2) that she could strive for balance in her life as hard as she could, but then end up wanting more to live life out of balance.
We all sit with our ball of wax in our laps, watching the movie unfold. After "Groceries" (should we call her? I can't remember her real name) leaves her husband, and her rebound-boyfriend relationship, she heads off on a year-long journey to find out who she is. HMMMM. Starts in Italy with lots of food and wine and ponders one idea of happiness: having good relationships. She then heads off to India to get herself "balanced" in the spiritual sense. She follows a guru and seeks to make peace with herself and her past through meditation and "emptying her mind." Not such a wonderful idea, but we can talk about that later. At the end of the movie, she ends up in Bali, still trying to negotiate a new 'enlightened' way of living with herself, and deciding if she is up for a new relationship.
Okay, so I don't love the storyline, or the process this 'lost' woman goes through to find herself 'on the other side,' but I think it would be a sad commentary on Christians if we didn't think we could watch such a thing and observe the way some of the 'lost' are trying to find help. Reason being, we HAVE what they are looking for. They want peace. They want God's peace in their hearts and lives. We know the answer: you cannot have the peace of God without making peace with God.
The idea that divorce is the answer is wrong! We know better. But, our 'lost' friends do not necessarily know why we would say that. I consider this movie an opportunity to talk with people about their lives, their reality. Their dreams. Their hopes. Their wish for peace. And then we can lead them to the living water that satisfies. With Jesus, there is no end. One of the themes in the movie was that 'nothing lasts anyway.' Wrong. We are eternal beings, created for eternal purposes, and God will not be mocked; a man reaps what he sows! I pray that our lives as Christians can be light and life to those around us, searching for the WAY. I pray they will see peace in us that is present despite unfortunate circumstances. Joy in the midst of hurt. No, Jesus did not promise us a pain-free life, but He promised to be with us........in every season and situation. That's what we have to offer. The God of the Universe in us, by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Now that's what I'm talking about when I talk about peace. There's none of this "god is in me and I am god!" No, I humbly admit that I need a Savior, and I will gladly let Him guide the path of my life, rather than searching for a way to find 'balance' in order to figure out my own way and blaze my own path. How about you?