Why I Stopped Watching Grey’s Anatomy

I just discovered the show, Grey’s Anatomy, about two years ago (I know pretty late to the game). I loved the show. I loved watching the drama of Meredith Grey on her journey to becoming one of the best surgeons in the country. The creativity of how the writer, Shonda Rhimes, created storylines for new hospital patients every episode and intertwined that with the doctors lives was extremely impressive. I mean, it’s not an award winning show with 19 seasons for nothing.

So a few months ago I began to rewatch it from season one again (Yes, I am one of those weird people who rewatch seasons of my favorite shows over and over again). This time it was different, I felt uneasy about watching it. At first I didn’t know why, but after a while I realized the Holy Spirit was convicting me. He was leading me to stop watching the show. At first I ignored Him and continued to watch the episodes. Every day I felt more and more uneasy about the show. I knew the Holy Spirit told me to stop watching it, but I wanted to at least watch the seasons with Christian Yang before I stopped.

Then after about two weeks, I finally stopped watching the show and decided it wasn’t worth being blatantly disobedient. At first I was sad and really missed watching it, but since I finally began to listen something happened. I had an exponential spiritual growth spurt. Once I obeyed the voice of God, He quickly changed something in me.

It suddenly became easier to spend time praying, reading the word, and hearing Him about Church Girlz. Since I stopped not only watching Grey’s Anatomy, but most of the shows I enjoyed from time to time; my faith has grown, I started Tuesday Live Prayer (join me!), and I got more anchored in Jesus about something I’ve been believing God for.

Welp since I mentioned it, we miswell go ahead and dive into it. My husband and I have been believing God for a child. Up until this point we have been experiencing fertility issues and miscarriages. I thought I was really believing God for what His word says He promises to us, but once I stopped watching this show and gave it some time I realized my emotions were all over the place every month. I believed that it would happen each cycle, and then as soon as my period started I would be sad, frustrated, and my whole mood would shift. Every month I felt like I was starting over with my faith.

Now, for the past month, there’s been a lot of disappointment but I haven’t been on an emotional rollercoaster. For the first time in this fertility faith journey I’ve been stable. I don’t feel like I’m restarting because of disappointment, the enemy isn’t messing with my head, I don’t have to constantly cast down doubt and fear, I’m not anxious or worried about how long this will take. I feel like I’m literally standing on a huge rock slab. I used to feel like I was trying to hold onto God’s word concerning my fertility, like a kid too tired to make it across the monkey bars so he just hangs there in the middle. Now, I literally envision God holding me instead, and see myself chillin’ and laid back in a huge hand.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

[Psalm 18:2]

Something shifted the last two months and I believe it all began with that first act of obedience (even though it was delayed), of stop watching shows like Grey’s Anatomy.

I believe there are a few reasons the Lord wanted me to stop watching it:

1. I was watching tv as an emotional crutch so that I didn’t have to deal with the heartache I was experiencing. Instead, God wanted me to cast my cares on Him instead. Not to mention, crutches a lot of times become low-key idols in our life, and we know what the bible says about that.

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

[1 Peter 5:7]

2. Grey’s Anatomy promotes sickness and death, point blank period. It doesn’t matter which way we twist it, we can’t constantly watch a show about people being sick and/or dying while simultaneously believing God for supernatural healing in our own bodies. I had to begin to guard my heart by being mindful of what I was watching and listening to. It may not seem like it, but that stuff gets in your heart and then when we come up against stuff like I was such as infertility (sickness) and miscarriage (death) we don’t have enough in us to fight back.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

[Proverbs 4:34]

3. Lastly, I believe God wanted to begin to consecrate me for the next season of my life. I know for a fact that God is taking me to higher levels of glory, higher levels in who He’s called me to be, and deeper in relationship with Him. In order for that to happen, the stripping of carnal things must take place. We can’t fly high with heavy baggage pulling us down. I believe that I need to be consecrated for Church Girlz, my marriage, and to be able to properly raise this child that God is blessing me with to be who God has called this child to be in the earth for a time such as this. I need to create an atmosphere at home that is ready to receive this new assignment of motherhood and make it easy for purpose to be cultivated in this child's life. We don’t have time to be combating ungodly thoughts and spirits just for entertainment from a tv show. We are focused on our kingdom assignment and kingdom legacy.

Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

[Joshua 3:5]

I say all of this to say, is there something in your life that God is asking you to surrender? If so, lay it down. Give that thing over to God and don’t wait two weeks like I did, because I’m pretty sure I had consequences for that initial disobedience. If God is asking you to give something up, it’s because He has something better for you, He wants to be closer to you, and He wants to protect you. It may be challenging at first, I was tempted to start watching the show again a couple of times. But having self-control and walking in obedience has been well worth it after just a little bit of time.

So I challenge you today, to listen to that small voice on the inside of you and don’t ignore the feeling of uneasiness. Lay down whatever the Holy Spirit is asking you to lay down today, and watch how God works in your life.

P.S. Just because I had to stop watching Grey’s Anatomy and a lot of my other shows doesn’t mean you have to. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you, use wisdom and follow your peace.

P.P.S. Stay tuned for this testimony. It’s about to be here!