App-StinenceSample

Device Addiction

Device addiction is a reality. I have been guilty of this myself. I say this while I am on my New Year's "fast from social media" time. We can easily get caught up in reels, YouTube, email, TikTok, gaming, etc. I have been astounded as I look around me while I fast from it all, at the levels of addiction that I see. It's easier to see for yourself when you are deliberately staying away. It's harder to see when you are engulfed.

These things were designed to draw you in, keep you there as they manipulate your dopamine pathways, and constantly distract. How many times have you stopped on an ad (while scrolling) that was targeting you because you said something about that thing or topic to someone around your phone/computer? Yes, the devices have ears and are listening. It's not a coincidence that you are bombarded with ads about things that you have had discussions with others about. It's just another ploy of the enemy to rob you so that your purpose is weakened. Remember, we talked about the knowledge of this world at its highest level of increase? It's getting worse every day.

Let's strip off the unnecessary weights! (Heb 12:1) When we get rid of the needless weight, we can freely RUN the race that God has set before us with endurance!

On this fast, I notice I don't even miss the distractions. As a matter of fact, my productivity on things that matter has increased greatly, and I feel a sense of accomplishment rather than guilt and shame for not completing needed tasks. Does the guilt-and-shame thing sound familiar?

Can we, as families, vow to put the devices away at a certain time every afternoon/evening to actually be together? To be "present" with one another is so important! SEE your family and friends. HEAR what they have to say. RESPOND in a caring and loving manner. These things are what God expects. 1 Timothy 5:7-8 is pretty stern about this:

'Keep instructing [the people to do] these things as well, so that they may be blameless and beyond reproach. If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has DENIED THE FAITH [by disregarding its precepts] and is WORSE than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters]. '

This tells us that our family is our first ministry here on Earth. Just under God, we are to make immediate family a priority. Not apps/games/screens/others. God says that we are worse than an unbeliever when we do not make THE priorities matter.