Does it feel to you like we are drowning in information and starving for wisdom? I used to start my day by grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting in bed next to my wife Kay as we watched the weather guy bring us the bad news of the day. Next, we’d spend the next 30 to 45 minutes scrolling through the new sites to get their take on what was happening in the world. As I had my breakfast, I used my iPad and scanned the same sites to see if I’d missed any important news stories. Without even realizing it, I was five scrolls deep into headlines that had nothing to do with my day and even less to do with my soul.
Distraction doesn’t always look harmful. Sometimes it seems like productivity. But when busy, there’s no time for silence — the very place God often waits to speak.
Time is one thing we can’t buy more of. Wasted time is unrecoverable. Time stolen from the relationships, callings, and purposes actually matter. Why did convenience become king?
Scripture
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”
— Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Hebrews 12 reminds us: there’s a race to run. A purpose to pursue. A calling that’s uniquely yours. But to run it well, you have to lighten the load. That means throwing off the distractions, the noise.
Digital distraction may not feel dangerous, but it often derails our focus, dulls our sensitivity to God, and pulls us away from being fully present in the moment we’re living. When we constantly reach for stimulation, we stop reaching for stillness. And in that stillness is where God meets us — not through the feed, but through the whisper.
I used to spend my mornings writing at a local Starbucks. During the summer months, vacationing families would come in, get their drinks, and then sit around a table, each person on their phone. Not a word is spoken. It made me think of our vacations with the kids when they were young and the fun we had together, enjoying our time. I couldn’t help but feel those vacationing families were missing out on some of the most wonderful years a family can spend together.
Digital fasting isn’t about guilt — it’s about grace. It’s about reclaiming your attention so you can re-center your life. It’s about choosing clarity over convenience. Silence over scroll. Presence over performance.
When you fast from digital input, even for a day, it creates a gap. But that gap is sacred space. That’s where you start to notice again. You see your family. You hear God. You remember what matters.
Today’s Challenge: Break Free from the Noise
Go One Day This Week Without Non-Essential Digital Content.
That means:
- No social media
- No news apps
- No podcasts, videos, or streaming
- No digital distractions that aren’t essential for your job or relationships
Instead, try this:
- Begin your morning with prayer before reaching for your phone.
- Go for a walk — without earbuds.
- Write in a journal or read from a physical Bible.
- When you’re with someone, be fully present.
You’re not being asked to cancel your high-speed Internet. But just one day can reveal how often your habits hijack your heart.
Connect with what truly matters — your purpose, your people, and your God.
Final Thought
Distraction will always be easier. Clarity will always require intention.
When the silence feels awkward — press in. That quiet space just might be where God starts speaking again.
This week’s step: Audit your screen time. What are you consuming — and what’s consuming you? Pick one app or digital habit to pause for the next 24 hours. Fill the space it leaves with something that fuels your faith.
