Just one more reel. One more minute. One more breath of fresh air away from the daunting tasks of our day to day. A break from work, the kids, school … life. A square box of entertainment is where we try and find something to fill us, a dopamine hit or distraction to just step away for a moment.
More times than I am willing to admit I’ve fallen for the lie that just one more reel, one more minute, or the nagging pull to pick up my phone could make me feel less overwhelmed.
What. A. Lie.
And we know it. In fact, I think the enemy enjoys watching a follower of Jesus be distracted by everything else but the very face of Jesus. But we buy into it over and over again. Is there a healthy in-between of screen time, family time, time for relationships, time for the Lord, and all the other areas where life begs for our time?
We always talk about managing screen time for our kids, but who manages our screen time for us?
I don’t know about you, but when I think about trying to be a good friend, daughter, follower of Jesus and all the other roles, I think it would be easier to pick up my phone and not think about it at all.
We’re left feeling anxious and more distracted from the people and places God has right in front of us. What if we miss the presence or the whisper of Jesus because we’re too busy watching someone else be a better mom, a sourdough professional, or an influencer even for Jesus?
The struggle is real.
Following Jesus in a digital age is a hard topic to talk about for most of us living in the world where social media, news updates, and mindless scrolling are so normalized. If I had to guess, right now you are reading this blog on a screen! Phones, TVs, and all of these things are not inherently bad. But what if we spent the same amount of time in God’s Word and in communication with Jesus that we do on social media, binge watching Netflix, and pinning our next outfits on Pinterest?
Now, I am not saying you need to become a monk (unless you feel led) and only ever pray, nor am I saying that if you pull a “Mommy needs to go to the bathroom in peace” break while you scroll on TikTok for a second makes you a bad mom who doesn’t make time for Jesus. Hey, I love a good Facebook Marketplace binge! This is just a challenge to really consider how you spend your time, breaks, and life.
Let our hearts ponder Psalm 90:12 that says Teach us to number our days carefully
so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts” and God calling us to “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).
In Luke 12:19-21, we see a parable that Jesus tells of a rich man who only wanted to eat, drink, and be merry—a man who had no time or space for God because he was too busy indulging in the simple pleasures of his life. The rich man thought he had years to enjoy his life, but the story reveals that God numbered his days to that very night. When we don’t ask God how we should “number our days,” we see that our flesh ventures toward what does not have eternal significance or value. When we ask God to teach us to number our days, we gain His wisdom which leads us to partner with God in all that He is doing right here in the world and our lives!
My challenge to us today is:
- When you wake up, ask God how HE desires for you to spend your time today.
- Try to find times/tasks in the day that make you want to reach for your phone and instead make it a point to pray before picking it up.
- Place a screen time limit on your phone/apps that you use the most and give someone else the password to unlock it.
- Abstain from social media and/or your phone and seek after the Lord. (This is something I do often and find so much joy in!)
- Learn to sit in silence to be with the Lord instead of constantly looking for a place of entertainment.
To be completely honest, I am not really sure I have found the “answer” to managing screen time well. It is really tough. But what I do know is that I can encourage you with this. Life is short, people are amazing, and there is so much beauty for us to see God all around us—it probably won’t be found scrolling through Instagram or Facebook either.
I do not want to waste my life looking down at my phone instead of up at our Father and miss all the places He desires for me to live life for Him.
I pray today that with the help of the Holy Spirit, you and I can manage our screen time so that it doesn’t manage us. I pray that we learn to simply “unhurry” our lives and focus on being with Jesus and the people around us.
ABOUT ALEXUS LEE
Alexus Lee is a published author of the book Hey Friend: 31 Journaling Devotions on Friendship and loves to teach the Word of God through writing and public speaking. She is from a small town in Florida and spends most of her days as a nurse and sharing the love of Christ with her patients. Alexus brings the name of Jesus to social media and small group spaces for young girls, teens, and women! Using TikTok and other platforms, she hopes to help girls in the next generation become confident in their relationships with God and give them tools to deepen their faith and join Christian communities. When she isn’t doing her day job, she loves to travel, go surfing, and play any sport that involves a good competition.