A MODERN FORM OF SLAVERY
Neethu Sebastian continues our series of articles about the temptations of modern life.
The first thing I see in the morning. The last thing I see at night. With me wherever I go, never more than an arm's length away. We're together at the bus stop, together in class, together in bed. My heart will race if I find we've been separated. What am I talking about? A special person? An unhealthy relationship? No. I'm talking about my phone.
ATTACHMENT
Have you ever thought that you spend too much time on your phone? I have. But for a long time I just suppressed the idea because I wasn't ready to take control. Then during a five day Youth Retreat (School of Evangelisation) last December, the Lord finally gave me the grace to overcome this addiction. We were praying for the Holy Spirit to reveal to us things that were preventing us from getting closer to God. Immediately the word came into my thoughts, “smartphone.”
THE PROBLEM
As well as the basic applications on my phone, I had WhatsApp, Facebook and FB messenger. You may also have Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Viber, games and more. Many times an hour my phone would alert me to new notifications and I found myself wasting unacceptable amounts of time reading irrelevant messages, endless time scrolling down news feeds and reading statuses. I was distracted in class, distracted during revision and distracted during prayer times.
A SLAVE
Every time my phone buzzed I had to check it. Like an impulse, it was a reflex reaction. I couldn't hold back. Do you have this problem too? To find out, try and see if you can count to ten (at least) after your phone buzzes before checking it. It's harder than it sounds. I realised that I lacked self-control. I wanted to be able to concentrate while praying or in class and give my family and friends the attention they deserved in our conversations. But I was a slave to my phone. Yes, a slave because 2 Peter 2.19 says that whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved.
FREEDOM
But we were not given a spirit of slavery. Rather, we have received the spirit of adoption as children of God. (Romans 8.15) We were set free by Christ and given the Holy Spirit so we should not be enslaved to anything but should have perfect self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. St Paul had a similar problem. He said that it was constant struggle because he did not do the good things that he wanted to do but the very things that he didn't want to do! (Romans 7.15) I couldn't change the situation by my own efforts but only by God's mercy. At the retreat He gave me the grace and courage to do what I should have done long before. I uninstalled WhatsApp and FB, the two apps that were taking over too much of my life.
HOW IT FELT?
Before uninstalling them, I was worried, thinking that everyone would forget about me. That I would miss out on events and not know what was going on. My biggest excuse was "I need WhatsApp for university group work." But the Lord says that we are not to be dismayed or worried about our life, but trust in Him and He will fully satisfy our every need. (See the passages: Joshua 1.9, Matthew 6.25, and Philippians 4.19) The first day was tough. I kept checking my phone unnecessarily out of habit. By the third day I noticed that my head was a lot clearer. Since then I have found that I have more time every day. More time for prayer, for study, and to spend with my family and friends.
RECOMMENDATION
If you think you spend too much time on your phone, figure out which apps are wasting the most time. Time is life. God has determined the number of our days on this earth (Job 14.5). So whenever we give our time to someone or something, we're giving them our life. Our time is precious and valuable and it should be wisely spent. So have a trial period, maybe one or two weeks without these apps and experience the freedom. Kick the habit and allow the Holy Spirit to train you in self-control. For the one who is in us, is greater than the one who is in the world so, we will have the victory.
Addiction/Problem Indicators
If you can answer yes to any of the following then maybe you have a problem.
◗ Do you walk into things because you’re texting, anxious to reply?
◗ Do your parents complain about how much time you spend on your phone?
◗ Do your friends say that you don’t listen or talk to them because you are on the phone?
◗ Do you lie in bed at night, doing random things on your phone? Does this make you sleep late and wake up tired?
◗ Can you text accurately without looking at the keypad (a skill gained only after hours of experience on the device)?
