CassieDo you ever think about how different your life might be without technology?
How much better it might be?
Maybe “better” isn’t the right word. How much… more natural? Less noisy? More compassionate?
Today, I bid a very emotional goodbye, yet again, to Johnny. We’ll see each other again in less than two months, but it is always, without fail, difficult to say goodbye. There are so many emotions in seeing the person I love walk away to a life that I am miles away from.
Our time together this week we were both so grateful for. It was so precious to be able to meet Johnny’s friends, see his school, and just have time with him.
On my plane ride home, I was again struck by the beauty of the earth beneath me to the point of being unwilling to do any sort of reading or homework. Teary-eyed, I watched the world– from snow-covered plains to shimmery, deep-blue waves glistening with sun sparkles, to completely urbanized cities, blocks of buildings, and itty bitty cars. And I was struck with a little thought:
If there is one thing I could possibly regret about this trip, it’s any moment I chose my phone or social media– the fake, glamorized world– over a person in the real one.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the way our society has taught us to shun boredom. We don’t know how to sit still, and yet sitting still is the perfect opportunity to talk to the Lord. We don’t know how to ride the bus without scrolling through Instagram. We break “awkward silences” by checking our phones. If a conversation is dying, it can be made dead by one person’s decision to choose Pinterest instead. Conversations can be centred around jealousy or lust based on the picture someone posted. And our brains, memories, and attention spans are all less sharp as a result. The addictiveness of social media and therefore self-exaltation is scarily prevalent.
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Even in just cuddling with Johnny, I chose scrolling through my Instagram sometimes over squeezing his hand tighter, or telling him I love him, or maybe making him laugh, or praying with him. Any time I choose “vegging” through temporary and wasteful technology, the Lord is waking me up to– I literally choose brain-frying, and time-wasting.
Now, every time I am about to go to Instagram or any sort of technology, I am going to stop myself and take that time to pray instead, Lord help me. Any ten minutes spent scrolling on Instagram is a given waste of time– maybe even joy-stealing. Any ten minutes spent talking to the perfect Creator of the Universe, my Father and God who loves me more than I can imagine? What an opportunity!
Lord, I choose you, every day. Help me to have this attitude, expectant for Your revealing work in my life, for Your life-giving Spirit, and Your guidance. Debunk guilt and teach me joy in You– real Joy!
