To experience spiritual sanity, we might require a digital detox. If you don’t discipline yourself to control technology, be assured that it is controlling you.
1 Cor. 9:24-27; 6:12
The Problem
- If you look at your phone for 3 ½ hours a day, you have spent over 50 days of the last year on that device.
- If the average person spends over 10 hours staring at a screen a day, that is almost ⅔ of our waking lives.
- We will mindlessly drift toward unhealthy habits unless we intentionally replace them with better ones.
The Passage
- If you are unsure of your goal, you will be unable to identify if you’ve arrived at it (9:24).
- It’s a shame that athletes know what to pursue and what to avoid while disciples seem oblivious to necessary changes (9:25).
- Unless we clarify the purpose of discipline, we will never be motivated to make the necessary changes (9:26).
- We will either control our habits, or our habits will control us (9:27).
- It is unacceptable for Christians to be dominated by distractions without putting up a fight (6:12).
The Process
- Decide what is a healthy technology limit that keeps you unashamed before God.
- Detox yourself from any addictive patterns that hinder your roles or relationships.
- Defend yourself from technology in proven weakened situations.
- Determine what meaningful habits will replace the mindless ones.
- Divulge your plan to another person for mutual accountability.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
