Thursday, February 22, 2024

Technology can be a very helpful tool. It connects people around the world, spreads ideas and inventions, and completes tasks more efficiently. There are so many ways it can be used to encourage and motivate us as we seek to follow God.

However, technology can also be dangerous. Social media sets the standards for who is successful. The news feeds off of our fear, telling stories about the bad rather than the good. The internet often spreads lies and rumors rather than the truth. Sometimes, instead of being a helpful tool, technology can use people for its own good.

It is hard to know the right way to use technology. The Bible encourages us to humbly come to God for the answers.

James 4:6
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

When we are humble, we make room for God to bless us. Our pride pretends we don’t need God, and our shame tells us we are beyond God’s help. However, humility is admitting that we are broken people and need God’s healing. It is humility that allows us to commit our lives to Christ.

That said, our humility shouldn’t stop when we choose to follow God. I have heard humility described as “knowing your path.” We need to recognize how God has gifted us, where he is helping us grow, and acknowledge our struggles. Humility creates a space for us to honestly reflect on all that God is doing in and through us.

Lamentations 3:40
Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.

Humility is especially applicable with how we use technology and the internet. We have access to so many different resources and tools today, everything at the click of a button or the swipe of a finger. It affects our work, school, family, and personal lives. Since tech is everywhere, we need to be intentional about how we are using it.

God wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives, including our technology. We need to confess the ways we are using it, and humbly ask him to show us how to use it properly. When we are humble with him, we open ourselves to God’s grace and allow him to shape our lives for the better.

Questions:
How do you feel about the ways you are using technology? Are there any boundaries you need to set? Are there any new ways you’d like to experiment with it? How can you invite God to help you with technology?

Next Steps:
Think about how you use technology. Create a list of the spaces you are handling well and those that might need growth. Take your list to God and humbly ask him to help you make those decisions.

Consider cutting some technology out of your life for a short period of time to see how it affects you. Perhaps there is a particular app you need to delete, a news channel you should pause, or a screen time limit you should set.

Prayer:
Father, this world is crazy and complicated. Thank you for never changing, no matter what. Please give me humility. Show me the areas where you have blessed me already and the areas where I need to grow. Lead me as I make decisions about big and small things, including technology. I love you. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

This post was written by Lydia Snyder, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.