Hey!
I’m Hayden :) Welcome to Beautiful Internet. We exist to equip churches and leaders to more effectively navigate the arena of digital discipleship.
In this weeks note you’ll get some thoughts about why answering machines should make a comeback, how our digital environments blur personal and professional lines, and 3 ideas (rooted in scripture) that can help create digital distraction breakthrough.
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Blurred Lines
Today, most of our work, communication, and even community takes place in digital ecosystems. Our virtual experiences create practically frictionless accessibility to different apps, services, and tools promising productivity. The lines between our personal, professional and leisure time blur, frequently leaving behind a trail of wasted time and shame.
If I’m being honest, I get really distracted during my work day. My loop typically looks like checking email, then going to YouTube, then checking LinkedIn, then back to email, with a sprinkling in of a “work”. And, it probably is quite similar for most of you. There is a pervasive nature to our digital experiences that feels uncontrollable. Distraction is rampant and we feel powerless. These ecosystems try and conquer and squeeze every second of precious time we have been gifted. They are incentivized to do so
Answering Machines
Here’s been a helpful image for me over the last month.
An answering machine used to be the physical reminder of responsibility. The big black box that sat in the corner of your home held all the pressing messages that friends, family, and occasionally a stranger would leave if you didn’t answer the phone. When the red light turned on you knew someone had left a message. As I’ve reflected on this something beautiful emerged. It stayed in your house. The answering machine was this self contained ecosystem that had no ability to constantly remind you that there was an open loop (an unanswered call). It didn’t follow you around in your pocket demanding you to pick it up or respond ASAP. When you left, the reminder and responsibility to answer the phone left as soon you went out to go get Chinese food. Now, our answering machine, mail, and work updates, follow us around everywhere. This “advancement” allows every dinner date, birthday party, doctor’s office waiting room, or church service to be turned into “hey can I take this work call real quick, I’m SO sorry”. Intimate moments with our friends are now shattered by someone slacking you at 8:30pm.
Why does this matter?
Yeah, why does this even matter?
Like I mentioned at the start, there is a unhelpful unification happening in all of our lives. The lines between personal, professional, and spiritual are becoming increasingly blurred. Our work time has become scroll on TikTok time, our dates with our spouses have become the time to catch up on work because “I’m just so busy at work”, and our prayer time is replaced with binging a Netflix show. Do you see the issue?
Again I confess, more often than not my days descend into this and I’m honestly writing this as a way to process why I so easily fall into these traps. As I have wrestled with this concept, a few ideas have become clear.
God loves a humble heart
BREAKING NEWS: We are going to sin and fall short of the glory of God. Psalm 25:8-9 says “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, he teaches the humble his way”. God instructs sinners in the way. As we humble ourselves before Him and ask Him for help he leads us more and more into Christlikeness. If digital distraction, laziness, or overconsumption are sins you struggle with, draw near to his throne of grace so that you may receive mercy and grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
Super Practical Tip: If you notice yourself becoming digitally distracted during a time where you’re supposed to be doing something else, pray. Ask the Lord to redirect your attention. When we sin, that is an opportunity to come to God asking for grace. Don’t run away from his grace.
Example Prayer: God, thank you for [insert thing that you should have been doing]. You have graciously given this to me to steward. I confess that I have gotten distracted and I need your grace. Would you give me self control and focus to do what you have called me to well and for your glory.
God richly supplies self control
Galatians 5:22 says that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self control. God abundantly produces fruit in the lives of those who walk by the Spirit. So if you are lacking self control, no 10 step morning routine will fix that. Only the Spirit can produce the fruits of the spirit. God delights in our obedience and self control which is why He gives it to us. If you are lacking self control, like I often do, we have to fight that battle through spiritual means first. John 15:5 puts it plainly “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears MUCH (emphasis added) fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing”
Example Prayer: Father, your word says that those who walk by your Spirit will not gratify the desires of the flesh. I take you at your word. Fill me with self control so I might faithfully steward the [insert xyz]that you have given me.
A Kingdom of God reality changes the way we spend our time
A Kingdom of God reality changes the way we spend our time
In the famous Our Father prayer Jesus prays, “Your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven”. Anytime I read this I can’t help but think about the present nature of this prayer. When I pray this, I like to add “Your kingdom come here and now”. At each moment, we have an opportunity to partner with the creator of the universe in the bringing of his flourishing, hope, and redemption here on Earth! When I steward my time well and live an undistracted life it is ALWAYS when I am operating in this reality. If our time is purely just clock in, clock out, go home, eat, scroll, sleep, repeat we miss out on this incredible reality.
Another Practical Tip: Before entering any digital environment ask the Lord to make you aware of the Kingdom. If the Kingdom of heaven is truly at hand, we should be living every moment as if that’s true. This is easier said than done but my prayer is that you and I would become increasingly aware of this reality and do something about it.
Example Prayer: God, your kingdom is beautiful. It is a kingdom of hope, peace, joy, and reconciliation. When I look at my digital environments I see the exact opposite. Give me eyes to see these things the way that you see them. Use me to bring your kingdom here to earth. Help me to submit to and obey your will.
So moral of the story. We need Gods help. You can ask him for it! Our brain rot, doom scrolling problem is more spiritual than you might think. Draw near to his throne of grace and receive his mercy today.
With brotherly love,
Hayden
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