Addicted (Part 1)
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- adjective; devoted or given up to a practice or habit or to something psychologically or physically habit-forming.
This morning, the following question played through my mind…
Am I addicted to my phone?
As twinges of Yes surfaced, my mind hurled reasons in defense of my disguised addiction:
My Phone Is . . .
§ Where I research important topics. This includes Bible commentaries, Lexicons, Greek Dictionaries, Bible-Hub, etc.
§ My connection with those who follow the Frazzled-Female ministry. So . . . FB, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, all a must.
§ My Go-To. I check news, weather, use calculator, store coupons, and keep up with the time. I also store my pictures, passwords, and take notes here.
§ My interaction with family and friends. Phone calls, Instant Messaging, texting, and face-timing – all a part of daily contact for me.
§ My alarm clock, flashlight, friend-finder, and timer. And on the rare occasion I get bored, I can just pull up a game and PLAY.
So, AM I given up to the psychologically & habit-forming practice of being devoted to my phone?
OH YEH!
Now, with that assessment I don’t mind stating that MY PHONE is useful and a real positive tool in my life. So, I guess it’s okay to be “devoted” in that sense.
However, I readily admit (and confess) that I’m heading toward a full-blown addiction. It’s difficult to go very long without “checking in” for social media blurbs, messages, and instant gratification from responses to posts and shout-outs from others.
As I think about that, I’m reminded that good, helpful behaviors and tools are POSITIVE until they are overdone – and that turns them into NEGATIVES.
Martha, for example (Luke 10:28-42) was doing something wonderful - preparing her home along with a scrumptious meal for Jesus. But it appeared she carried on a bit too much, getting side-tracked with preparations instead of focusing on Jesus in her midst.
“But Martha, overly occupied and too busy was distracted with much serving.” (Luke 10:40A AMPC)
And you know the rest of the story . . . she becomes irritated at sister Mary, insisting that Jesus put her in her place for not helping in the preparations.
Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me - to lend a hand and do her part along with me! (Luke 10:40B AMPC)
Here’s The Point
Your phone, tablet, portable-mobile device . . . all good, but used in excess can turn you into . . .
an addict totally dependent upon this extra body part at the end of your arm, leaving you functionless without it!
Just like Martha it’s tempting and easy to take our “good access” to modern technology to extreme measures, becoming overly occupied, too busy, and distracted.
But take heart. There’s HELP available for the one who wants to be set free! And I am one in that number of people who is irked at the way social media has tip-toed in and taken control of my life. . . and quite often turning a good thing into a controlling thing.
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Chomp on PART 1 for a while. Mull it over, asking the Holy Spirit to direct YOU if you need to make some changes in this particular area of your life.
Oh, He’ll tell you – He sure will.
Then in Part 2, we’ll explore some steps of recovery.
In the meantime, determine to control your technology devices . . .
instead of letting them control YOU!
