Is It Time For A Tech Check?

It’s hard to fight off distractions on the computer when, for the most part, we have to be on them so much. At work we may have to sit behind them all day or for most of the day. Our Smartphone, for most, has become an extension of who we are therefore used more then ever before. Technology has been a huge blessing, but also a huge curse and how you use it might say a lot about who you are and what you find important.

What do you think of when you hear about technology being blessing? We can almost instant access to our wife, children, friends and extended family. Letters might still be a classic and cool way of sending messages, but it’s been a dying art of communication for years now. We can reach a wider audience for Christ. One lone person can impact thousands across the world with a simple tweet or Facebook message. There are wonderful things that tech has brought us and we should be thankful to be alive in a time like this.

How is technology a curse? Impossible! Yeah, I don’t think so. With instant access to so much, those relationships that we can stay in touch with the most can start to fall. How? Hanging out with your friends and only being on the phone. Spending time with your wife and only staring at the phone. Because the latest updates on Facebook are more critical than your relationship with you wife…?? Easy access to whatever you want to look at, whenever you want. This can get ugly.

What to do?
SET BOUNDARIES
Sounds simple enough, but you have to first be willing to take that step and then follow through consistently, over and over and over again. This is part of discipline, this is part of growing in maturity and this is essential to understand. Make set nights where you and your wife turn off the phones, TV, pads or whatever and spend actual quality time together. Do a devotional. Pray together. Get creative…
Having trouble staying honest and pure on your devices? Again, set boundaries. If you feel the urge coming, don’t give in! I repeat don’t give in. By this time you probably know your weak spots, so have a plan in place. Plan to go running, open up your Bible, turn off the device or pray. Be ready, don’t play dumb and act surprised.

SET REMINDERS
At the end of each month I have a reminder to off on my phone and computer. For three days, I’m reminded why I need to stay consistent, what my boundaries are, why I don’t want to go back to my old ways and stay faithful to my wife and Christ. Again, this goes off every month.

You can do this too on your phone, work computer or something. Set up a daily reminder to pray. Setup a weekly reminder to read your Bible and set up a monthly reminder to remind you of what’s most important and why!

A good soldier is always ready for Battle. A good pastor is always ready for the Sunday message. And a good, honest, mature Christian man is always ready to defeat the Enemy.