5 Ways Phones Hurt Our Spiritual Lives

Texting and responding on social media can be terrific forms of communication. However, they also play into our emotions in a manner that does not allow us to process information before we respond. How many times have you seen people post immediately to social media, often without complete or even accurate information? Maybe you have even been that person. People respond to a message or post or even create them without thinking of how this may affect their witness for Jesus. Somehow, they forget that even in the texting and social media space, they are still ambassadors for Jesus.  

I heard someone say when you draw conclusions without complete information, any conclusion you come to is probably wrong. Sadly, having the phone on the ready with the ability to respond immediately to what people are saying does not allow you time to pause and think about whether it is even worth responding to. Phones can make us reactionary, and the problem is once the words come out, you can’t just automatically take them back. Sure, you may delete a post, but many times the damage has already been done. 

This can damage your spiritual life in two ways. First, you end up saying things in these spaces that you might never say to someone face to face. Second, you now must defend or apologize for what you should have never said or responded to anyway. This is where patience with your words and responses matters. The book of Proverbs warns us about the power of words and hasty responses. So, the next time you pick up your phone because you “must” respond, remember these verses: 

Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
  There is more hope for a fool than for them. - Proverbs 29:20 

The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
  and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. - Proverbs 17:27 

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues
  keep themselves from calamity. - Proverbs 21:23 

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Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” - Mark 6:31 

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. - Luke 5:16

One enormous challenge posed by our phones is we don’t know how to separate ourselves from them and shut them off. Think about the level of anxiety that overtakes you when you leave your house without your phone. Most of us feel naked like we do not know how we will function. We end up playing the what-if game. Spending our time wondering what id someone is trying to reach me? What id I miss that important call? What if there is an emergency and I cannot get ahold of anyone to help? Anxious thoughts multiply when we are so tethered to our phones. 

All sorts of crazy thoughts run through your mind simply because you don’t know how to shut it off. We have so conditioned ourselves to be reliant on our phones that many can’t or won’t even take a quiet 10 minute walk without their phone. Heaven forbid someone is trying to call you, and you don’t answer immediately. I am saying this because I know the anxiety that rises in me when I call my wife and she doesn’t answer. She has her phone, so why isn’t she answering? I give no consideration that she might be away from her phone for a moment and that is okay. I am working on it, and by the way, don’t look at me funny because I know you do the same thing. All this underscores the reliance and attachment we have to our phones. There is wisdom in moving away from your phones and going to a lonely place so you can pray. Wherever that solitary place is for you leave your phone out of it. It may feel strange at first, but you will be okay, and the time you spend without it will feel beneficial to you. I will tell you now, you may even like it. 

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The world we currently live in is one long, never ending distraction. Back when newspapers were a thing, you used to get an early edition and a late edition. Because it came out so early, you may end up missing many of the stories that happened after it was printed. Those stories were then printed in the later edition. Today, as soon as something happens, you get notifications almost immediately. To make it worse, some of us have set up our phones to get those notifications. Get a new text, you get a notification. Someone posts something new on whatever platform you are on, and you get a notification. In fact, on social media channels, we encourage people to subscribe so they will get notices every time you post something new or release a new video. 

Some people then take these same phones and use them to read the Bible. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with reading the Bible on the phone, you are literally setting yourself up to be distracted. Think about what happens when you get a notification in the middle of your reading. The moment you get the notification, your curiosity alarms go off. Who is trying to reach me and what do they want? You wonder if it is something important, and this totally shifts your focus from what you were doing because of the distraction of the phone. This can happen if you are reading, praying, worshipping, or just having a quiet moment of reflection. 

Here is a novel idea. If you are out or on the go and you want to read on your phone, great. However, when you are home, put the phone down and pick up a physical copy of the Bible (yes, they still exist). When you do this, make sure you turn the notifications off so this way you won’t be distracted. Whatever notification you get can wait until you finish reading. Chances are your world won’t fall apart in that time anyway. 

The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. - Matthew 13:22 

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Sometimes the phone allows us time for what I like to call brainless activity. This is an activity that does not require any real thought and is a time when you don’t need to use your brain. I strongly believe there are times when brainless activity is warranted and welcomed. However, if we are not careful, this brainless activity can become consuming, and all our activity becomes brainless. Watching one YouTube video turns into watching five of them.  

Aside from that, there is the endless scrolling that simply sucks time away from you. Studies have shown that the scroll on social media keeps people on the platforms longer. This means the designers did this intentionally to keep you trapped on the platform. There is something about the scroll that comes with a sense of anticipation, wondering what you will find next. Before you know it, you can scroll for hours, taking away time from doing something more productive, like maybe talking to a real human being, getting some physical rest, or even reading a book that will give you some spiritual edification. Again, I am not against brainless activity because it has its place. Just be careful or you will discover this is the only activity you engage in. 

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. - 1 Corinthians 6:12 

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One thing you can do on your phone is search. In fact, of all the things people do on their phones these days, talking on the phone is not at the top of the list. According to Pew Research, browsing the internet and being on social media were the second and fourth most common activities people are doing on their phones. This is affecting teens and adults. Here is a quote from a news report from WFLI, “Elevated social media usage has also affected teenagers' sleep quality and duration. Teen girls, especially, can experience body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, social comparison, and low self-esteem. More than half of teens have also reported seeing various hate based content on social media platforms, according to the advisory.”
 
The problem is this doesn’t just affect teens, adults are experiencing emotional effects as well. The American Journal of Psychiatry has reported an increase in anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and a decrease in attention span because of the increase in social media viewing. You might guess that many people use their phones to do this. 

When we extrapolate this data and apply it in a spiritual context, then the phones and the way we use them (which is really the key) are causing issues of self-esteem, depression, and anxiety, and instead of seeing ourselves in the way God has created us, we end up comparing ourselves to the mythical imagery that people show of their lives. How is it possible to compete when the average Bible user reads the Bible three to four times per year, according to Barna, but the average person spends 4 to 5 hours a day on their phones, according to RescueTime. Is there any wonder many are struggling to grow in their walk with the Lord?  

To conquer this phone issue, we must get into the habit of putting it down. I know they are small enough to fit in our pockets, but it’s okay from time to time to leave the room and leave your phone behind. The problem is not the phone because that is just a tool. The problem is how we use it and relate to it. When you fix that, then the phone can go back to its rightful place and no longer be a danger to your spiritual development.

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