As of 2025, Netflix and Spotify are the most popular streaming services in their respective fields of television/movies and music. Over its 30 years of existence, Netflix has grown to an incredible 301 million paying members, while Spotify has a whopping 696 million active monthly users. Whether it be these or their slew of counterparts (Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube, or Apple Music), my strong assumption is that everyone reading this article has some sort of relationship to these services; we live in a world that is completely inundated with entertainment. Whether that variety excites you or locks you into what I like to call “analysis paralysis”, we are faced with the decision of what to do with all of it.

Too often, I believe the stance is taken that what we consume is somehow neutral in its impact on us. The number of times I’ve heard “well Jake, I listen to or watch those things, but they’re not impacting who I am,” or, “I’m simply unwinding after a long day at work.” To that I say, the global spending on digital ads in 2024 was 1.1 trillion dollars. If I know anything, it is that the greed of the corporate world does not throw away over one trillion dollars for nothing. They invest that much because they know it will have an incredible payoff. They know the power of what enters our minds – how it shapes our thoughts, feelings, and desires.

One of the most convicting quotes I’ve heard as of late came from pastor Jonathan Pokluda on his podcast “Becoming Something” as he challenged his listeners to consider if they were “being entertained by the things that Christ died to save [them] from.” I have to admit that hearing that question brought me great pause as I considered my own life. What have I been allowing to enter my ears, eyes, and mind?

The question that I ought to be asking is whether or not what I am being entertained by is increasing not only my affections for Christ, but my accurate representation of Him. If the chief purpose of the gospel is to bring glory to God, then it follows that we more faithfully fulfill that goal the more accurately we reflect Christ. Imagine that you are a mirror standing before Christ. Each decision that we make serves to either polish that mirror, making the reflection more clear, or to smudge it and distort the image of Jesus. With that, if you were to take an audit of your life (browser history, Spotify playlists, Netflix recommendations), how much of it would polish that mirror and how much would make it blurry?

As I ponder this challenge, my mind goes to the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30, NIV). From that, I have two final thoughts:

• Is God the Lord of your life?

Too often we fall into the trap of loving Jesus as Saviour, but not considering Him as Lord. As we devote our lives to Christ we are called to “count the cost” (Luke 14). Yes, we have been blessed with the amazing gift of unmerited salvation, but it does not come without a response. Does your life echo the words of Christ? Have you given yourself to Him so fully that you find joy in following His lead?

• Is Jesus your chief joy?

If we profess that Jesus is our greatest love, then shouldn’t our lives be filled with that which increases that joy? Similarly, if you had a friend who said he was a football superfan but had never watched a game, you would have serious doubts about his claim. If I find myself frustrated or bummed out by the idea of ridding my life of those things which don’t give God glory or prevent me from spending time with Him, then I need to take a serious look at my heart and ask what it is that is driving my affections. What is it that you love?

Might I encourage you as you read this to pray and find encouragement in the Scriptures? Amidst a challenging word, let me remind you that we serve a God who is slow to anger and rich in grace and love. He desires you to come and seek His counsel and will be faithful to deliver as you pray for His guidance and rest in His word.