What Are You Connecting To?

By: Jenifer Metzger

Last year I realized I was on my phone far too much. I decided to turn off all notifications for one month. The only time my phone would beep, ding, or ping, is when I received a call or text. All social media, including email, was silenced. I quickly noticed I was picking up my phone much less. Great! When the month was up, I decided to keep it set this way for good.

However, I have noticed that I am still on my phone a lot more than I'd like to be. I send or receive a text and notice all those red bubbles telling me that something "needs" my attention. So I scroll through checking each bubble notification before putting my phone away. A little while later I pick up my phone to check an awaited email or look something up and once again see numerous red bubbles. I am a little OCD when it comes to clutter and those red bubbles are definitely clutter to me! While I may not be picking my phone up as much as I used to or be distracted by all the beeping, I am still on my phone a lot as I seek out connections.

We have this deep rooted need for connection so we are continually turning to things like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, email, news apps, and other outlets searching for a connection. We want to see what our family and friends are up to. We want to see how strangers are living their lives. We want to feel connected to someone.

I believe God gave us this feeling, this need to be connected so that we would connect to Him.

For in Him all things were created: things in

heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 1:16

We were created for God. Our spirits yearn to be connected, not through a screen, but to the Spirit of God. Our connections and relationships through a screen were never meant to satisfy our soul. They were never meant to take over our lives. Our screens cannot satisfy our God given need for connection.

But their idols are silver and gold, made

by human hands. They have mouths,

but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.

Psalm 115:4-5

We have made idols out of our screens. We can't leave home without them. We can't let the battery run dead. We check our phones every few minutes. They are the first thing we reach for in the morning and the last thing we touch at night. We are distracted by every notification. We lose eye contact with our loved ones. They have become like handcuffs, locking us in with a false sense of connection.

Don't misunderstand. Phones in and of themselves are not bad. Social media in and of itself is not bad. I am so very grateful for the online friends I have made and for being able to stay in touch with family and friends thanks to social media. But we cannot let our phones replace real connections and we certainly cannot let phones replace what our soul is really longing for: connection with God.

So I ask you today, what are you connecting to? How often do you pick your phone up in a day? How often do you pick your Bible up or pray in a day? Be honest with yourself.

We must set limits on our screens, not just for our kids but also for ourselves. And likewise, we must be intentional about connecting with God through prayer, Bible reading, and living out worship throughout our day.

It's time for Share A Link Wednesday! Each Wednesday we invite you to leave a link to your latest blog post in the comments. We still desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories.