Our Unhealthy Obsession
How many times have you checked your phone today? According to one study, the average American checks their phone 186 times a day and spends over 3 hours a day on their phone alone (not counting other forms of screen time). Hopefully, that statistic is striking to you. 186 times means we're checking our phones about every 5 minutes of every waking hour of every day! Do you do anything else in life that obsessively? Imagine you knew someone who looked in the mirror every five minutes. Wouldn't that seem pretty obviously unhealthy? That sort of behavior would almost certainly raise eyebrows, but for some reason as a society we have accepted our addiction to smartphones as normal.
As an older person, I remember a time before the Internet (Yes, there really was such a time). I remember the days when I would spend hours talking and laughing with friends uninterrupted by the outside world. We didn't have the same access to endless entertainment, stimulation, and communication. We didn't feel the same pressure to keep up on all the news, trends, and notifications. Things were slower, simpler, and honestly, it was so much better. I wish everyone could experience the 80's! I feel how much more easily my mind is divided and clouded by all of the noise nowadays.
The Consequences of Distraction
Recently, I was reflecting on how often I check my phone because I'm afraid of missing out on something. I hate to keep people waiting on a response, so I don't want to miss any texts or emails. I hate looking ignorant if someone brings up current affairs, so I don't want to miss any headlines. But a fear came upon me as the thought entered my head: what if I was so distracted by all of these things, that I missed out on hearing the voice of God?
Is there anything in life that is more important than hearing from your Creator? Are you more afraid of missing your friend's next social media post, or missing a message from heaven? There are few things that I find more frustrating than trying to talk to someone who is not really listening. We've all had those conversations where the other person is texting, checking the time, not making eye contact. I've reminded my kids over and over, when someone talks to you, you look them in the eyes and show respect. You can't make a meaningful connection with someone who is not paying attention.
The Invitation to Intimacy
If we're lacking intimacy in our relationship with God, it's not due to a lack of desire on His part. Hear these words of Jesus from Revelation 3:20:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
Pause for a moment and actually imagine Jesus knocking at the door. If He was standing outside of your house right now, wouldn't you put everything else off to sit and eat with Him? This is our spiritual reality! If we want to commune with God, all we have to do is open the door and listen.
This will require laying aside distraction. Have you ever considered turning your phone off for a few hours? A few days? If that sounds impossible to you, that's all the more reason to start trying. What would your life look like if instead of checking your phone, you prayed 186 times a day? Or even once every hour! They don't need to be lengthy, wordy prayers — just little offerings of thanksgiving, remembrance or petition.
If this article has resonated with you, I strongly encourage you to make it practical. Pray and ask God to give you a tangible step to take to draw near to Him in your everyday life. This is the very reason for our existence!
"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." — St. Augustine
