Initium Link to heading

Technology is everywhere in our daily lives. At work and school, computers have become an essential part of how we work, to the point that the vast majority of tasks can’t be done away from a screen. At home, we spend our free time on our phones, computers, or TVs, seeking an escape from the struggles of daily life, and the horrifying notion of being alone with our own thoughts.

All Scripture references are taken from the ESV translation revised in 2016.

Created With Purpose Link to heading

We were created to carry out the plans that God put in motion before the foundation of the world. (see Isaiah 25:1, 37:26)

  • Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Three Major Impacts Link to heading

Programmed Personas Link to heading

Q: How would the world look if every man took purity seriously and started treating women like sisters? Link to heading

Q: How does technology influence our view of others? Link to heading

Scrolling Our Minds Away Link to heading

Q: What forms of media are we most addicted to? Link to heading

Q: How do these forms of technology capture our attention? Link to heading

Whether it be TikTok, Instagram, or the porn industry, all of these platforms promise some sort of satisfaction, fulfillment, joy, or pleasure.

  • TikTok promises fulfillment and joy via popularity/recognition, and being able to keep up with the latest trends.
  • The porn industry promises sexual satisfaction and limitless pleasure via a large pool of scenarios and porn types.

However, these promises are almost always left unfulfilled in the long term, with us ending up spending more and more time scrolling to find the perfect video, or watching more and more debauched porn to sate our ever growing desire.

Q: How do our technological habits affect our discipline, attention, and our *ability to think critically? Link to heading

Q: How does technology influence our view of God? Link to heading

Wasted Nights, Hindered Days Link to heading

While we may not always see it this way, laziness/sloth is a sin, and it is one of the most dangerous in my opinion. Laziness is what keeps me from spending as much time in the Word as I would like, because it seems so much easier to just go back to sleep than to wake up and do my Bible study. It’s so much easier to watch YouTube, or one more episode of $SHOW, instead of actually getting done the things I need to do, whether it be work, school, a personal project, or just spending time with the Lord.

  • Proverbs 21:25

    The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

  • Proverbs 18:9

    Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.

  • Proverbs 6:6-11

    Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Q: How much time do we waste with mindless technology habits? Link to heading

Q: How has technology harmed our daily lives? Link to heading

Reclaiming Our Attention Link to heading

Q: How can we use our tools in such a way that they don’t shape us? Link to heading

The more we simplify our tools, the less they will shape us.

We see this nowadays with the rise of dumb phones and flip phones, with people realizing how much technology has affected our minds, bodies, and relationships.

This return back to simpler technology and more dedicated tools has seen many find joy in life again.

Habit Substitution Link to heading

When trying to kick a bad habit or an addiction, you must always have something to replace it with.

  • A smoker usually have to have some other sort of oral fixation early on in the rehab process.

We must replace our bad habits with something more beneficial, more useful. This can include things like reading, writing, making music, programming, etc.

Reading can be a fun pastime that doesn’t require a lot of effort, or it can be something you do for the sake of learning or teaching yourself something new and interesting to you (see autodidacticism).

Creating art of any sort (and yes, programming is art) can be a good outlet for whatever is going on in your life, and is a whole lot better than scrolling to escape your thoughts.

Writing can help you better understand your own thoughts, or metabolize information on an unfamiliar subject. In the case of learning, I would recommend writing with pen and paper, as that has been shown to improve the metabolization and comprehension of new information.

For Christians, habit substitution can come in the form of spending more time reading and studying Scripture, spending time in prayer, or even reading theological books - which is a great boon to our walk with the Lord.

(I recommend Daily Doctrine by Kevin DeYoung as an intro to systematic theology.)

Conclusion Link to heading

All of this can be summed up in four questions:

  1. What effect is this having on my ability to see Jesus and to know His love?
  2. Am I willing to cut this off if it hinders my attention to Jesus and His love?
  3. What other pursuit better directs my attention to Jesus and His love?
  4. Am I willing to endure the pain of taking ownership of my attention so that I can better focus on Jesus and His love?

How has technology improved our daily lives? Link to heading

Scripture References Link to heading

  • Phillipians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:31

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

References Link to heading

We Want Your Soul - Joshua Blais

Why We Can’t Stop Scrolling - Jared Henderson

I Switched to a Dumb Phone - 2 Year Check-in - Reject Convenience

Designed by God: The Biblical Role of Men - Cross Con26 - Seth Troutt

What do Fanduel, TikTok, and the Porn Industry all have in common - Cross Con26 - Jeremy Pierre