Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
9:00am & 10:45am,
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Shiny, Beeping Distractions

“Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” –  Christian Lous Lange  

You know the drill. When waiting in Publix, or for the school bus to arrive, we naturally reach for our phone and begin checking things that you just checked the last time you had some time to pass.  It becomes almost a reflex action; whether we’re texting, checking social media, taking selfies, or playing games, we will drop everything to take a peek.  Jumping on Facebook to respond to a message costs me several minutes, but by then the person in front of me at Publix is walking out the door. Our technologically-driven culture has made it almost impossible to just be still.  

While technology makes many things in life easier than they’ve ever been, it also makes being distracted easier than ever. After all, who can resist those shiny, beeping distractions? And these shiny, beeping distractions can divert our attention from God and our relationships. We tell ourselves we can multitask and that we can keep up with technology and with our relationships.  But one usually suffers in the end. The better solution is cut out the distractions as much as possible.  

So how do we use the technology so needed in today’s world and yet keep it from distracting us from what’s important in our relationships? Technology itself is not evil. In fact, it has many good uses. God can use technology for good in our lives. But when we’re not careful, it can definitely become a distraction that gets in the way of what God wants us to do. I’ve talked with many couples who have allowed technology to interfere with their relationship. While eating dinner together, they also text. Or when they are enjoying their morning coffee, they are on their computers or using their smartphones. It happens to all of us because it is easy to do.  

In order to keep technology from becoming a problem, we should remember that we are created for more, so much more. We were created for more than drowning ourselves in social media. We were created for so much more than technology can give us. We need to put technology and its distractions aside and concentrate on our relationship with God and with our spouse. For some of us, this will not be an easy path. It will require dying to ourselves and our devices daily. But it will be worth it. God wants a different life for us. He wants us to be so fixed on His glory and so in love with His beauty that we live with all our might for Him. And he will be with us every step of the way.

Spend time with your spouse without your devices nearby. Ask family and friends to hang out in person — and then suggest that everyone put their phones away so you can avoid distractions. Invest in your spouse. 

We were not created for earth — but for eternity. We were not created to be liked but to show love. We were not created to draw attention to ourselves but to give glory to God. We were not created to collect followers but to follow Christ.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is technology a distraction in your lives and marriage? How is it a distraction? Which technology devices are most distracting? Discuss things you might do to help each other overcome these distractions.
  2. How is technology helpful in your marriage? How can you use it to be more helpful and less distracting?
  3. How can you control technology in your life and marriage and not allow it to control you?

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