This is the phrase that has continually been ringing in my
ears over the last couple of weeks but it seems like the volume turned up this
week. So…what did I do proactively and
on purpose to continue in my INTENTIONAL living? Did I put down my phone? Did I decrease my scrolling? Did I change any of my mindless habits? Was I intentional about having “live”
conversations instead of constantly managing the buzzing of my phone? NOPE!
I didn’t do any of those things! And
what has the Lord has done for me due to my obedience in this area, you ask? He has graciously highlighted the amount of
time and the # of times that I check my phone to SEE if anything is there! I mean…I wouldn’t want to miss the latest
scoop, pic, recipe or news within moments of it happening!
This week I have been AWARE of the constant checking, mindless
scrolling, watching senseless videos, and time sucking that my phone is
stealing. But I am totally allowing
it. It is like I am watching a criminal
come into my space, take my things, and I just wave at them as they leave…with
my STUFF! The stuff that I hold dear,
the stuff that I would hate to actually have taken away but nonetheless I sit
back and idly allow it to be taken away moment by moment, minute by minute, 3
minute video by 3 minute video.
I was listening to a study this week by a pastor from
Montana named Levi Lusko…it was a message from the series entitled The Fourth
Wall in which he is teaching on Practicing the Presence of God...the reminder that the Lord is always with us
and we need to live as such. It is a
great series…I highly recommend it! www.freshlifechurch.com. The message covered so much but as I was
listening he went on to share about the distractions that we are faced with that cause us to forget that we are living life with our Heavenly Father and that He is WITH us! Then he gave a few statistics about phone
usage that I don’t remember exactly so I found my own!
Keep in mind I listened to this message after the ringing in
my ears about my INTENTIONAL living and the distraction that I have allowed my
phone to become. It was eye opening and
it was convicting and it was gracious that the Lord continued to remind me that
I am at a stage in life where I have been given some time back and that I am
squandering plenty of it…looking at a 5” screen. The Lord is with ME and wants to be with
ME!
Now…I will be honest…I do NOT plan
on destroying my phone, never using my phone again, and right this minute…I’m
NOT even deleting social media and every app that steals my time. What I am doing is making small changes –
turning off notifications that bing and beckon me even when I’ve intentionally PUT
MY PHONE DOWN and living life with a timer! I haven't determined what the time will be but it's all about baby steps in the right direction, right? Once my PHONE TIME timer goes off…my phone gets put down! I am hoping that with the Lord’s help and the
gift of self control that I can intentionally put down my phone, look around,
be intentional in my relationship with my Heavenly Father and in my “real life”
relationships with people.
What is God asking you to PUT DOWN? I truly believe that for each of us…it is
different. We all have things that steal
our time and energy from living the life that the Lord has laid our
specifically for each of us. I challenge
you…ask Him! Ask the Lord if there is something
that you need to put down to intentionally enjoy His presence. And be ready for the answer! I’m all about some baby steps into
INTENTIONAL living! Let’s get going!
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