(Maybe for you it’s a kindle, laptop, tv, book, game, hobby, iPod, etc. It might even be family. Fill in the blank. You know where your priorities are.)
I just had it.
Where did it go?
Pillows get thrown onto the floor as my hand frantically searches across the couch cushions. My feet trace back their steps into various rooms. I’m surprised my husband hasn’t asked me why there are imprints in our carpet from all of my “hikes” around the apartment.
5 minutes, 10 minutes, has it been 20? I scratch my head. “It’s not here!”
My gaze falls to my side as I was holding a cardboard box of yarn balls, a crochet hook, and…
I drop the items to the floor.
THUD!
My cell phone! It was with me all along.
In today’s modern age there is a parasite that seems to have attached itself nearly to everyone’s hip. Babies are not even exempted from this! Understand, this is not to point fingers. This is the way our world is. I think most people enjoy when something is convenient, and cell phones certainly bring convenience to our fingertips.
I can’t really judge anyone else when I have the plank of the cell phone in my own eye, and can you just imagine how large this plank is? No wonder I’m blind spiritually.
Studies have shown our brains really enjoy the sense of pleasure. This does not have to be purely physical, but it also comes in the form of accomplishments or simply put, anything that gives us that “happy” feeling.
Gratification comes in many forms.
The cell phone provides most of these forms.
- Music.
- Videos.
- Access to applications we use, like our own blogs or email, and many others we didn’t think we “needed” until we saw it advertised on the screen or word of mouth.
- Shopping
- Games.
- A way to converse without delay of seeing immediate responses.
- Access to content that may or may not be godly.
You get the picture.
It’s shown that picking up our phones can become an automatic reaction for us. Picking up our phone gives us a sense of “good feelings” because we know what awaits us. Convenience. Accomplishment. Lust. Gratifying our flesh.
Christian bloggers and all users of social media be aware of the gratifying sense of stats. Comments. Likes. Followers. Numbers.
But what does it all come down to? What are the consequences of this convenience?
Yesterday, when I was glad I found my phone, I immediately had this question sweep over my heart. “Do I seek God, the way I seek out my own phone?”
To put this question in a more Biblical perspective:
(NIV) Phillippians 2:12, “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,”
Our salvation is meant to be active, this is the only way we will be able to endure to the end. (Matthew 24)
Salvation in the Bible is spoken of in all three tenses.
- Past – We have been promised salvation. (Hebrews 2:03, Isaiah 46:13)
- Present – Salvation is being given to us. (2 Corinthians 6:02, Isaiah 12:02, Ephesians 6:17)
- Future – One day we will achieve it completely. (2 Timothy 2:10, Hebrews 1:14, 1 Peter 1:05, 1 Peter 1:09, 2 Timothy 3:15)
Salvation, as many of you know, is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has to know us in order for Him to accept us.
Post | Intimate Meaning In, “I Do Not Know You.”
In this modern world of convenience, it is really easy to forget how something so small like a cell phone controls our world. How we may have become blind to media’s influence over us. How easy it is for us to be blind in the ways we serve our flesh. We become lukewarm not realizing we are already sitting on the fence.
God often gets pushed aside.
Yes, I may use my phone sometimes as a means to fear and tremble before God. Listen to Christian music or sermons. Read devotionals or scripture. Engage in godly discussion. But most of my personal walk with Christ is definitely not reflected in my phone time use, and…I can be on my phone… a lot!
Being deceived because we are serving ourselves often blinds us to seeing the cues of conviction.
Conviction does not take away the fact there may be things we NEED to cut out completely or to manage better in our own lives.
Pharaoh, for example, even before God hardened his heart, he served himself and the glory of himself. He chose on his own accord to persecute God’s people. When we serve ourselves we can harden our hearts against God.
Scripture says if we continue to turn away from God at some point we will be allowed to stay in that deception for God’s glory 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.
I think we can admit the fact, we do not have to be convicted to admit our time often does not go to God, but ourselves. This is beyond cell phones right now, bear with me. It can come in the form of serving the family, we put others in front of us…but we have also placed them in front of God as well. This includes work. We make the buck to support ourselves, and more likely others. But our focus has shifted from God. We become accountable to ourselves and the world before being accountable to God.
Please understand, I’m not saying this is the easiest switch to make. Scripture assures us the battle between the flesh and spirit is constantly at war (Galatians 5:17). It’s not meant to be easy. But in order for us to truly ask from the Lord, seek the Lord, and to knock at the door, we must be willing to look at ourselves and how we spend our time.
Truthfully, I’m guilty of this, and that’s why I hope what I shared speaks to you. I want to seek the Lord with the same kind of urgency and desire I give to a lost cell phone. It’s pathetic if I’m honest.
(NIV) Romans 8:05, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
(NIV) Galatians 6:08, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Ponder Below:
Who are you giving your time to?
Monthly Scripture – (NIV) Ephesians 3:19, “and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
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I am guilty! Very very guilty! Have mercy on us Lord 🙏🏽
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Amen!
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I’m very much guilty. Wow, this post was definitely eye-opening! Thanks for sharing this!
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❤ it was convicting to write!!
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I actually just wrote something similar to this yesterday because I am so guilty of this too! Thank you for being bold enough to share it ❤
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❤ the Lord is amazing! So glad He put this on your heart, too!!!
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This is a struggle we can all relate to. I was listening to a youtube video once and the guy said we all have 168 hours a week…then I started to wonder how many of those hours I actually gave to God and the answer was not many. Even when I tried to see if I gave him a tenth of my time a week ( 16.8 hrs) it still didn’t add up. We truly have to make a conscious effort to seek him and put him first or else other things will easily become idols.
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So true! I was like how can I work on giving God 2 hrs and 40 minutes a day? How can I be more aware of His presence than I am with distractions? I want to strive for improvement. ❤
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Yes, I want to strive for improvement as well! 2hrs and 40min seems like a lot of time, but we spend that much time watching movies in the theater. So it’s possible.
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Exactly! It realky is not that much ❤
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Great word T.R.! It’s so hard not to let technology become an idol, and I am totally guilty of it! Wonderful reminder!
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Yes, idols can pop up easily if we are not careful!!
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You mentioned Pharaoh T.R., and he believed himself to BE a god.
Humans have a raging sinful nature that seeks pleasure, enjoyment and self promotion, by God’s mercy and grace this is disrupted. I just read a really good book about the complications of technology in the Christian life – “Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age” by Alan Noble. Interesting take on this exact topic. Great post.
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Amen, you’re right! He believed he was a god. Our flesh truly wars against the spirit. But there is always hope. Glad this book talks about it!!!
Thanks!!
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Technology is increasingly crowding sacred space, the implications are worth considering. It’s an easy read too, so that helps.
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If anyone would have told me a few years ago that I would be spending as much time with my cell phone as I do, I wouldn’t have believed them. But no. Time to stop and start over. Make a plan (with God’s guidance) to do better, then stick with the plan as closely as possible.
Thanks for the reminder! 🙂
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I was really late to the smart phone and in 2017 my smart phone became a “dumb” phone, which took an adjustment. But now I have a newer phone that remains smart. I definitely have to be more aware and like you said, stick to a plan ❤
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Wonderful reminder! I don’t use my cell for much so when I’m not calling someone or vice versa, it sits there most of the time during the day untouched and it’s good for it means I charge my phone every other day or two.
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That’s awesome!!!! That’s why I said at the beginning it doesn’t necessarily have to be a phone for us. It could be computers, books, anything that really consumes our time. I know when I wasn’t using my phone as much, I certainly used my laptop more.
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I know. I singled out phone in response to this post as I am working on a similiar post as such where I document my usuage of such electronics and which one I need to use less.
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Oh, that will definitely speak to others ❤ ❤ !!!
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It’s funny that you talk about our brains loving pleasure and phones providing avenues of gratification–we are literally addicted to our phones! It’s a struggle not to make our phones into idols. We need to be vigilant and intentional with how we spend our time and what we wrap up our validation and happiness in!
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❤ ❤ ❤ exactly! There are so many things the phone provides related to pleasure, like you said, we are wired for that instant gratification. Amen! We need to be aware ❤
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“Do I seek God, the way I seek out my own phone?” Oooh boy, was that convicting!!! I’ve gone through seasons of my phone being an idol, and seasons of my phone meaning virtually (see what I did there, haha) nothing to me. It usually depends on if I have a game to play, someone to talk to, information to look up, etc. If at all possible, I love using it, and the Lord has convicted me over and over that my phone is supposed to serve a specific purpose in my life. It’s up to me to use it wisely.
Thank you for writing this!!
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❤ I love how you said this! And your pun, haha!! Games can get me! I have one game I've allowed myself that I know I have to be careful about time. All other games are cards or sudoku so I don't have the temptation. I've discovered how easy it is for me to just scroll and waste time. You are right, there are specific uses. They can used for good things. But we must be aware! ❤ so grateful this spoke to you 🙂
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Aw thanks! I would have such a huge problem wasting time on games, and the only reason I don’t is because they cause joint pain in my fingers, thumbs, and wrists. 😖 I’m glad God designed my hands that way, or else I’d never get anything done 😂 Yeah, I much prefer card and board games!
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❤ isn't it amazing how He uses problems we have to direct us to Him 🙂 amazing!!! Monopoly or Jenga it is!
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Definitely!
YES!! GAME ON 🙌🏼💛
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Amen! Timely post T.R! It’s very true. I remembered I used to give my time to the phone A LOT! When I was unsaved and in my early months of a new born in Christ and the Holy Spirit convicted me and I repented immediately and now I’m not addicted to being on my phone all the time. Sometimes I leave it lying around somewhere for an entire day or days without using it at all and it does me so much good. 🙂 You’ll get there. Try leaving it off for some hours and see how that little practice would make a BIG change. D
Stay strong.
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Keeping it away helps me. I just need to do it more 🙂 I’m glad I could share with others my conviction. I’m glad you have broken away!
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Oh very good! That’s a good start there. Yes! All praises to God!
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This hurt. I misplace my ipod often and then feel kinda panicky until I locate it. I do want to seek Him more than seeking a lost ipod! ❤
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❤ ❤ ❤
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