Right after college, I loved jamming to Arcade Fire’s song “We Used to Wait”. The song is about how technology has changed our lives dramatically and impacted our humanity in ways we don’t realize until it’s too late.
That was true in 2012 when I was jamming to it, and it’s even more true now.
In some ways, technology is wonderful. I’m grateful for its convenience and accessibility. The smartphone and the internet, particularly, have completely changed our lives, in many good ways.
But we live in a broken world, and every move of “progress” has a dark side. We need to be aware of these dark sides, for our own sakes and the sake of our kids.
The Spiritual Pitfalls We Face
Satan can use any and every good thing in our world for his evil purposes, and technology is no exception. Today, technology is uniquely powerful because of how deeply integrated it is in our lives.
Anything this prevalent must have a spiritual element, and we need to be aware of the possible pitfalls.
1. The Decline of Patience
We don’t really know how to wait anymore. We expect everything to proceed in an efficient and timely manner, because that’s what technology has told us is good and right.
We get easily frustrated and upset when things take longer or don’t go as planned (or maybe that’s just me). It’s so easy for us to doubt God’s timing and plan because it’s never moving at our modern, efficient standards.
2. The Illusion of Being God-Like
Technology can deceive us into thinking we possess God’s attributes. We feel omnipresent when we sit with family while simultaneously connecting with people elsewhere.
We feel omniscient with instant access to information. We feel omnipotent, controlling our environment with a few taps. We feel unlimited by time and space in ways humans never have before. Like Eve in the garden, we’re tempted to push past our God-given boundaries of time, energy, and availability.
3. The Distraction Factor
Satan loves a good distraction. Has there ever been anything more distracting than our cell phones? These little windows to the world keep us from being present, from thinking about God, from listening for the Holy Spirit’s voice.
4. The Conforming Power
This is really the biggest pitfall, or maybe the pitfall behind all the others. Technology shapes us into its image and the image of the world that’s creating it.
Author John Eldridge says we’ve all become “disciples of the internet”—it’s often the most influential force in our lives. It shapes the way we see the world and the way things “ought” to be. We trust it more than we trust ourselves and often more than we trust God.
The Call to Be Different
We’re called not to “conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2), but that’s so hard to do when the conforming power of technology touches every aspect of our lives. However, God calls us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
God has always called His people to look, act, and think differently than the world around them. That calling extends to our relationship with technology.
How can we transform our minds when it comes to technology? Spend time away from it!
What this looks like is also going to vary from person to person and in different seasons of our lives. I’ve come up with a few practical suggestions below, but honestly, you should look at your own life, pray, and ask God where you have become a bigger disciple of the internet (or any other technological advance) than of Him.
Looking for more resourcing on discipling your family in the age of technology? Check out THIS great round up of posts!
Practical Ways to Fight Back
1. Don’t Become a Slave. First Corinthians 6:12 says, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you… I must not become a slave to anything.”
Look at your life (and your kids’ lives) and see if any of you are becoming ruled or controlled by anything besides God. Set boundaries around technology use for your whole family. Only you know the ways technology is making you less like Jesus, but work to fight against that.
2. Abide with Christ. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you… neither can you [bear fruit], unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). Create space to be alone with Jesus, to listen for the Spirit’s voice, to spend time in Scripture. If your kids follow Jesus, teach them to do this, too.
3. Embrace Inefficiency. God isn’t efficient in the way we understand efficiency. His salvation plan took millennia. He was silent for 400 years. He led Israel on the “scenic route” because character building takes time.
Practice small acts of inefficiency: choose the longest checkout line, don’t try to rush through traffic, make an order through a person instead of an app. You never know how God can use these tiny character-building moments in the lives of you and your kids.
4. Use Technology for Good. God can use everything for His glory. Technology has made Scripture, Bible studies, and devotional content more accessible than ever. There are excellent Christian apps and resources available. Use these tools to help you abide with Christ and create new rhythms that make you more like Him.
Moving Forward
Technology itself isn’t uniquely evil—it can be used for great good. We just need to recognize the ways it can be twisted to harm the spiritual lives of ourselves and our children.
The goal isn’t perfection but transformation. God cares more about who we’re becoming than what we accomplish or how quickly we do it.
In a world that prizes efficiency and instant gratification, choosing to wait, to be still, and to abide with Christ is a radical act of faith.
Our children are watching. Let’s show them what it looks like to be disciples of Jesus rather than disciples of the internet.