If you haven’t noticed, our society is swiftly shifting right into a recent normal. With the continual bombardment of data and infinite entertainment, the well-coined, “popcorn brain,” has emerged, declaring that the common American spends a lot time scrolling social media and the plethora of TV shows that it’s actually rewiring our brains. Recent studies show that it’s becoming an increasing number of difficult to deal with long run tasks, some even claiming that it’s resulting in an increase in mental illness.
So, today I challenge you to get through this text without the necessity to examine your phone or get sidetracked by another digital force. Training our brains to focus for longer periods of time is not going to only help us with mental endurance and ward off that need to achieve the following dopamine hit, but more importantly it is going to empower us to hunt real wisdom that comes from our God.
Fellow followers of Christ, we’d like to listen, equip ourselves with truth, and lean into our faith as we live in a world that’s quickly becoming emersed with dark and deceitful distractions. First, recognize that God wants us to make use of our time properly (Ephesians 5:15-16) and never allow entertainment to develop into an idol in our lives (Leviticus 19:4). God also wants us to put our sights on what’s true, noble, and right, and pure (Philippians 4:8), knowing that harmful images may be burned into the depths of our minds, causing irrevocable damage.
What Does the Bible Say about Screentime?
“So watch out the way you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those that are clever. Make essentially the most of each opportunity in these evil days.” – Ephesians 5:15-16
“Do not put your trust in idols or make metal images of gods for yourselves. I’m the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 19:4
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what’s true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and wonderful, and admirable. Think about things which might be excellent and worthy of praise.” – Philippians 4:8
Is Excessive Screentime a Sin?
While screentime isn’t a sin, misuse or abuse of it’s. That said, we must train our minds to be intentional as we pick up our phones or reach for the distant to examine out the most recent news, shows, or movies. By filtering what we watch using the lens of our faith, we will gain mental clarity and peace of mind, not bending to the popcorn brain phenomenon but reasonably searching for to coach our brains to align with God’s good, pleasing, and excellent will.
Photo Credit: GettyImages/Niyaz_Tavkaev
