How many in the past month have you said, I should probably have quiet time (or workout, or do homework), but have gotten on the Internet? I've done it more times than I can count. And I'm realizing how much the Internet takes out of my life. It takes away my free time, it takes away my real relationships, and it takes away my time with God and time to work on my health.
Sometimes it has me asking where my free-time has gone, and other times it saves me a lot of time (and paper!) working on my thesis or other research papers. It is almost always a procrastination tool, the reason why it takes me so long to focus when I'm studying, and the reason it takes me twice as long to do my homework. If I took one hour every day that I spend procrastinating on the Internet, and used it to do something useful, outside, in a book or even working out I would be a much healthier person.
And the Internet doesn't only take away our healthy living, it takes away from real relationships. I find myself getting on Facebook and using that as an excuse for my social connection for the day. I think that talking to people on Facebook chat is enough. While for some it has to be, shout out to my best friend in Korea!! It's not real. It gives you an excuse not to be honest with yourself and in community. It makes you show yourself off to people but never admit that you're struggling. We're all struggling, and we need a space for that. Real relationship comes with vulnerability, personability and time in person to talk to each other. Real connection is in person, with real conversation and honesty.
Not only does the Internet take away from our relationships with people, I think it takes away from our relationships with the Lord, and our sanctification. If I spent one hour a day reading, praying, and worshipping, I know my faith would be strong and I would be able to trust the Lord more fully because I would have a consistent relationship with Him. And this realization is why I have decided to take the month of November, and try real thankfulness. Thankfulness for time and the Lord.
I realize that I can't cut out the Internet completely (although I would love to). But I think that it really can be a blessing. It can connect us to people we can't connect to in person, such as friends over seas, or simply people who don't have a phone or who's phone number you don't have, or who live in a completely different state. Instead, I have decided to use the Internet for my edification.
The only times I will get on Facebook will be to post this, or other relevant articles that I find (as I'm using my free time to read more about God's work in our culture: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/), and for RUF events or connections.
With my free time, I'm going to read. I'm going to search and study. I'm going to learn. I'm going to work out. To see my body as a temple and be THANKFUL for the health that God has provided me with. I'm going to listen to hymns (not that I wasn't already, but still, they make me happy). I'm going to be joyful and be thankful for the beautiful life that God has given me and relish every moment.
I think learning to be thankful is chiefly about learning to see what God has given you. Seeing that you are blessed, loved, and redeemed more than you can ever know. Being thankful for me today is about being thankful for time.
What do you find yourself thankful for today?
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. --Colossians 3:15-17
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