Take heart lest your spirit be broken.
In this day and hour there is a demonic force upon the earth trying to break our spirit. Why? Because the enemy knows better than anyone that strength is from the spirit. He also knows that our joy is our strength.
There is a constant onslaught of propagated fear and we must stand against it. How? You may ask…by refraining from being overly informed. What began as a novel concept…the internet and media…has become an unhinged weapon.
Our response must be moderation and wisdom.
I remember life without cell phones. I also remember when “everyone” had an iPhone, and I would look around a room of people and suddenly nobody was interacting anymore. I admit I’ve always been a technology holdout. I resist it, by nature. Now I see it was wisdom’s restraint.
It was wisdom that helped me to the older ways longer than most, but it was the undercurrent of culture that eventually drew me into the deep waters of unbridled internet access. As the kids grew up and were a part of school and sports teams, having Facebook was a necessity because they only wanted to communicate through Facebook groups at that time. I was a holdout with texting. I still don’t like it. There is too much room for misinterpretation. But it seems nearly impossible to not do it now. Every group, friend, family member…all of them want to communicate without voiced words. We’ve all become dependent. All of us.
They know it, so they use it.
I long for the simplicity of what was, but since that will likely never again be…we must learn how to manage what we have.
Self-control, that ornery little fruit of the Spirit that I keep bringing up…must be used in this regard too.
Today I challenge you to ask God what it looks like for you to operate in self-control with regards to your cellphone and internet access. Be honest with yourself about its grasp on your life. Then ask God to reframe it for you. Ask Him to show you how to manage this beast that has been thrust upon us. There is a way to live a more peaceful and steadfast life…but as with all things, we must fight for it.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17:22
365 Days in the Presence 