Unfollow the Chaos (Part 1)
Unfollow the Chaos (Part 1)
I love the month of November! The moment the calendar moves, I feel like the holiday season has fully arrived. The days get shorter and cooler, and I feel my mind and body longing for a slower more simple pace. In this desire I find too often that I reach for my phone to check Instagram and see what everyone else is doing to celebrate the season. And in a split second my calm turns to chaos and I am lost to hours of searching for "Pinterest perfect" ideas to make the holiday memorable.
I am sure, that like me, there are too many times you find yourself lost in the world of social media comparing your vacation, your clothes, or your family to that of of a perfectly curated influencer photo. We all know that what we're seeing is not reality, and yet we're still sucked in because our devices are nearly impossible to avoid.
Research shows that an overuse of technology has negative effects both physically and psychologically . Our bodies may suffer physically through eyestrain, sleep problems, and reduced physical activity. Psychologically, overusing technology has resulted in an increase in negative body image and depression. And the effect on children has an increased risk. Since a child's brain is still developing they not only experience the negative issues adults face but there is evidence linking higher screen times with behavioral issues and concentration difficulties. (Medical News Today)
I doubt the research above is shocking to you. We have been reading a similar commentary for years, and yet we continue to find ourselves struggling to fight the urge to play one more level, scroll five more minutes, or check one more email. As we enter this holiday season, I would challenge you (as I am challenging myself) to choose what truly matters this season and live beyond the noise of our devices.
For Yourself
1. Order Your Priorities
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
As we make a concerted effort to focus away from the chaos of our devices, we must begin by prioritizing something better. Placing God at the center of our time and prioritizing his purpose and kingdom helps us to be proactive instead of reactive in our desire for change. I recommend giving yourself a guideline that prioritize God; devotions first, no scrolling or games before reading your Bible and prayer.
In an interview with ChurchPulse, Dr. Heather Thompson Day told about a similar rule she made for herself saying,
"...I will not get on social media unless I've had worship. I realized I was no longer making time for worship or it was so easy for me to forget, [saying], 'I'm so busy. I didn't have time today.' But I always had time to scroll Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. I made this rule for myself: 'If you do not take time to connect with God, you're not going to log on. And that's fine--you don't have to--but you're not going to get on the apps that day either, because you don't have time.'" (ChurchPulse Weekly)
Whatever we prioritize will get our energy. If we want to find peace in this season and cut off the chaos it starts with putting God and his kingdom first.
2. Filter Your Thoughts
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
We often tell ourselves that we need time to decompress through our screens. Yet what is really happening is a filling of our minds; some of the content may be encouraging and some of it is neutral, but some of it is detrimental to our thinking. Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited as saying, "Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character. sow a character and you reap a destiny." The thoughts we allow have the power to affect our entire life.
Philippians 4 provides us with a filter for what we should have our thoughts focused on, "Is it true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellence, and praiseworthy?" We learn to unfollow the chaos in culture by thinking first. Use the Philippians 4 filter to determine what content you allow yourself to meditate on.
3. Change Your Mind
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Along with correctly prioritizing and filtering our thoughts we must replace wrong thinking. Romans tells us to be transformed by renewing our mind. Our minds are renewed through the very word of God. The negative effects we have seen from technology can be transformed by replacing the thoughts that lead toward a negative body image and depression with the truth of what God says. Through replacing these thoughts we are transformed in our thinking and as Romans states we are able to "discern the will of God," effectively unfollowing the chaos around us.
As we start with ourselves we will see it influence our family (but more on that in part 2).
For this holiday season let's put the devices away and let's unfollow the chaos!