Your Story is Infinitely More Interesting Than Asuna’s and Rukia’s

 

Written by Beneath The Tangles

I like to think that I’m a sophisticated viewer, one who not only appreciates but genuinely enjoys art house anime. But the reality is, while I do like some series that are unknown to many viewer, I also enjoy a number of popular shounen series, which is perhaps why the biggest disappointments I’ve had in anime have in how two such shows went off the map. I loved the first seasons of Bleach and Sword Art Online when they came out. I was addicted to them, waiting at baited breath for each new episode. For each I thought, “This could be my new favorite series!”

And then for both, season two came along. The series went from among my favorites to massive disappointments, not least of all for how each treated their really interesting and well-designed heroines. Season two of both shows put these characters—Rukia and Asuna—in prisons, waiting for their knights in shining armor (or black cloaks) to come rescue them, undoing all the work of establishing strong and capable heroines in season one of their respective series.

What a waste of interesting characters.

I don’t know the reasons behind Reki Kawahara and Tite Kubo’s decisions to do this to their characters, but I have to think it had something to do with control. It’s scary to go somewhere unique, somewhere beyond the tried and true of shounen tropes, and neither Kubo nor Kawahara were willing to go there, to give voice to Rukia and Asuna. They’d rather walk the straight and narrow of the shounen path, keep control over their narratives, and avoid letting creativity veer them off course, which ultimately resulted in boring, boring stories with flat heroines.

I’m ridiculing these two, but I have to say…I relate to them, too. I want control. I want to lay out my life in a very normal, “successful” pattern, one that avoids creativity and the chance of failure that comes along with it. But that’s a mistake, too, because failure is what shapes our lives and makes them interesting and, I think, ultimately more successful.

In my life, for instance, I’d long ago woven a tale where I would earn an M.D. or a PhD or some similar degree, make lots of money, receive a ton of praise, and live out a comfortable existence. Not so fast, though! As I made my way through college, I learned, “Hey, I’m not really good at these science classes,” and “Hey, I’m not really interested enough in anything to get a post-graduate degree.”

I switched majors away from the sciences and at first, I felt like a failure. That feeling returned multiples times as I moved along the path of career—I wasn’t where I intended to be, where I expected to be. And yet, these failures helped me grow in ways that were out of my control, giving me skills and experiences that led me down a path to become a director at an agency, a place I never intended to go but where I feel I belong.

I had been content with my own safe, lame story, but was shaken out of it by God’s plans. My hope for you is that you are not content with being like the Kawahara and Kubo, like myself, that you’ll search for something more interesting—better. Doing so means taking chances. It means feeling uncomfortable and even failing. But I think the consequences of not doing so are much harsher than what we receive in failures along the path of growth, because in living a life of safety and control, we end up becoming like Asuna—trapped in a sky prison and not part of the bigger, more interesting, more engaging tale, looking pretty while the real adventure passes us by.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Anime's Influence On My Life

Anime has played a huge major part in my life. Its beautiful animation, engaging storylines, and dynamic music scores have helped me through unpleasant situations and escape from harsh, unsettling reality. Those memories I have of those days where God was pushed back from my mind into the abyss and became non-existent, were some of my happiest times I could remember. If only I could go back to those times. Things were simpler, I was more ignorant and naive. I didn’t wrestle heavily with spiritual warfare and an identity crisis stemming from a misconstrued notion of God.

My sins and personal struggles didn’t bother me as much as they do now because of how I suppressed them subconsciously. Yet through anime, I have also learned more about God and His character through wonderful voice actors. It opened the door to more people who have shared inspiration, encouragement, and spiritual reminders. It brought me laughter, tears, happiness, and a sense of connection through the characters on screen as I watched from the sidelines.

In a way, it’s sort of helping me do the same in reality whenever I get stuck in the comparison trap, believing God loves and cares for some people more than others by how He’s blessed them and is moving in their lives. Ergo, I can’t help but feel pangs of discontentment through envy and jealousy. But, even though I don’t understand God and His ways, it brings me a glimmer of hope that I can be happy for those who have what I don’t and can’t have, be what I’m not, and do what I’m unable to accomplish, as I sit on the sidelines admiring it all from the background. I guess in some way, I’m actually being blessed that way. All’s that to say is, I can rest assure that my love for anime and the impact it’s had on me will never die until I rest in peace.

Comments under this post

“One of the amazing things about God is that He finds us where we are and uses the things around us to bring us close to Him. I’m glad He used anime to draw you to Himself. I struggle with thinking God will cast me off – grow tired of my sin and label me a lost cause. That line of thinking is supported everywhere but the Word of God. So, I’ve had to learn that when thoughts of uncertainty come, I have to get in the Bible to find Truth. You are a blessing to our church. I see you sitting with different people, and I know they are glad for your presence. As God continues to grow His Word in you, I pray you find peace and wisdom. I pray He establishes Himself as your delight, as He opens your eyes to all He is and all He does for you. I’m glad you are a part of our church family.”-Deborah

“Jesus loves you, and He wants you to love Him more too! I’m so thankful that God is patient and merciful and forgiving. When we ask for his forgiveness, He takes away our sins “as far as the east is from the west” Psalm 103. You are a blessing to our church, and we’re so glad you’re a paratrooper at our church!”-Jeannie

“I agree! I’ve learned a lot through anime and especially got to connect to people and share God’s love through it. I think God uses art to speak to us and sort of bridge us as humans in a special way.”-Priscilla

“Try not to get discouraged about the heavy spiritual attacks. This is a sign of God doing a deep work within you to purify you and transform you so you can walk in the blessings he wants to bestow on you. Warfare is very high right now, because 2020 is going to be an amazing move of God like never seen before. I expect God is preparing you, to take you higher in your walk with him. Also, don’t think that because you see certain things that you don’t like in yourself that it’s the way it will be forever. No. Not at all! I remember feeling envious and jealous of others too, I’d say maybe as little as 3/4 years ago. But if you press into God and your relationship with him, spending time with him every day and passing every test and challenge he puts before you, you will see dramatic changes in yourself that you never thought were even possible.

And another thing too, this time right now is a time of accelerated development in the Spirit. So what used to take God 40 years to develop in a person’s character, he is now achieving within a few years or even quicker because time is so short. I know how you feel about anime, I see already some great points have been made to help you. I’ll just add that I think God allows some things to be our escape from really hard things for our survival, but his true desire is that we would graduate eventually from our dependence upon anything that is not himself, to a place where He is where we go for escape and comfort. Because our dependence upon anything other than God is usually idolatry, setting up a false God. Engaging in it is probably not wrong but where it takes priority over God is the issue.

Like for example, I used to go to food for comfort, instead of God. Well, I still have to eat and I’m positive God wants me to enjoy eating too, but not to excess and not as an escape. Excess in this area will create obesity and disease.

Escapism in anything will keep you from growth and maturity because it keeps you from processing hurt in a healthy way. That is why you have to keep going back to get the same result, or doing more of the same, etc. In other words, it never works. It never heals, it only marks and suppresses hurt, fear, anxiety, bad memories, pain, etc. Whereas when we deny ourselves such escapes and excesses, pain begins to surface and if we can take that pain to God instead, he will help us process it in a way that brings deep healing and growth. We go from glory to glory! We just keep getting better and better! We eventually become whole! We become the joyful, loving, peace filled, patient, self-controlled, faithful, kindest version of ourselves that God actually created us to become. We begin to reflect him! Hope that all makes sense! God bless you!”-Janine

Discipleship

 Written by Oswald Chambers

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also….And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me….So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. —Luke 14:26-27, 33

If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person— our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a vast difference between devotion to a person and devotion to principles or to a cause. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause— He proclaimed personal devotion to Himself. To be a disciple is to be a devoted bondservant motivated by love for the Lord Jesus. Many of us who call ourselves Christians are not truly devoted to Jesus Christ. No one on earth has this passionate love for the Lord Jesus unless the Holy Spirit has given it to him. We may admire, respect, and revere Him, but we cannot love Him on our own. The only One who truly loves the Lord Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and it is He who has “poured out in our hearts” the very “love of God” (Romans 5:5). Whenever the Holy Spirit sees an opportunity to glorify Jesus through you, He will take your entire being and set you ablaze with glowing devotion to Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is a life characterized by true and spontaneous creativity. Consequently, a disciple is subject to the same charge that was leveled against Jesus Christ, namely, the charge of inconsistency. But Jesus Christ was always consistent in His relationship to God, and a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ.

“The legacy of those who came before us is handed down from parent to child and from mentor to disciple. We must never fall or stagnate, but continue to grow and change. All that we’ve been taught, the beliefs and convictions that have been passed down to us. We must continue to nurture them so we, in turn, can pass them on the next generation.”-Phoenix Wright

How Can I be Discipled Today?

Written by Elizabeth George

God’s ideal plan for us as His women — and another aspect of His job assignment for us — is that we learn from other women the “good things” of God. We are called both to seek this guidance and pass on all that God has taught us through discipleship (Titus 2:3-4).

The word discipleship can call to mind a variety of scenar­ios. Most often we equate discipleship with one-on-one, weekly meetings with another woman for years on end. That would be wonderful, but for most people that is neither a reality nor even a possibility. We can, however, choose from some enriching alter­natives if we really want to grow.

Classes are ours for the taking. Churches in every town offer Bible studies and Bible classes. Correspondence courses are also available. All you and I have to do is enroll, do the work, and let God grow us.

Counsel from fellow Christians is also a valid form of disciple­ship. If you’re having a problem, ask a trusted and godly person— and you’ll receive God’s perspective and the prayer support you need. Even if you’re unable to attend any classes or meet with a mentor right now, you can always ask for counsel.

Interviewing other Christian women is one of my favorite means of growth and discipleship. When God sent a godly, older woman to my church, I took one look at her busy life and saw clearly that she would never be able to commit to a series of discipleship sessions with me. So I made a list of all the ques­tions I wanted to ask her and set up an appointment. We met just that one time, but those two precious hours she gave me were life changing! Much of my philosophy of ministry and many of the things I teach are a direct result of that one blessed time in her presence, drinking in her wisdom.

Observation is another biblical means of growth. After all, “the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both” (Proverbs 20:12). So make sure you are watching, watch­ing, watching! It’s a great way to learn. In fact, Bible teacher Carole Mayhall says one way to learn how to love and demon­strate respect and support your husband is to watch other women. When it comes to admiring your husband, for instance, “keep a list of how other women show admiration for their husbands.” Watch, learn, write down what you learn, and then try those new behaviors yourself.

Reading plays an important role in spiritual growth. Of course, the primary book to read is your Bible. There you’ll find God’s direct teaching. Books offer another avenue for growth and help you develop skills for ministering to women. As an author I always include study questions or have an accompanying study guide available for personal study, growth, and discipleship. Read the books of respected others, who have put into print for us their mentoring programs, their counsel, and their observations. When we read such books, we are discipled.

If you’re not quite convinced, consider these thoughts about the value of reading:

“Reading is the best way to gain knowledge…. [But] only 5% of the people living in the U.S. will either buy or read a book this year.”

Mrs. Billy Graham told her daughters, “Keep reading and you’ll be educated.”

“Don’t read at random — the most important key to reading effectiveness can be summed up in one word — selectivity.”

“One characteristic common to every effective person is that they are avid readers.”

If you’re thinking, “But I don’t have time to read!” or “I can’t add any more appointments to my life,” a wise first step would be a sober evaluation of how you’re living your life. It’s easy to think you don’t have time to read, time to ponder, or time to spend with other wise women. But the simple act of carrying a book everywhere you go gets many books read. I used to set my timer and read for just five minutes a day. That approach also gets many books read. And, simple observation or asking for counsel over coffee, with purpose and humility, will help you glean wisdom from women you respect.

As it was in Biblical times, we as women can feel a lack time for all the demands placed on our lives. But, we would be lacking indeed if we neglected the important call to learn from the many godly women that God has placed in our lives.

*For advice on how to find a Godly woman to mentor you visit HERE

*For ministries and classes on discipleship training and equipping in your area or college campus, visit https://www.ywam.org/, https://www.navigators.org/, and https://www.cru.org/