Struggles: Our Battle With Technology

#Struggles: Our Battle With Technology
by Craig Groeschel, from #Struggles: Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World

Read:
Luke 10:27
Matthew 6:19-21
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ - Luke 10:27 (NIV)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also . - Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

Most everyone seems to agree that life is getting busier, crazier, and more frantic with each passing day. We’re bombarded by more information than we know how to process — news, ads, commercials, blogs, tweets, music, pics, and more ads. Crazier still is that we have more devices, programs, and apps than ever before to make life easier.
And unquestionably these new innovations help make our lives better. We can text with close friends halfway around the world and let them know we’re praying for them. We can share pictures of our daughter’s birthday party with relatives thousands of miles away. We can check our 401k, order a pizza, or book a hotel at the beach. And yet with all the upsides, these conveniences we “can’t live without” create many unintended problems.
We love technology and all it offers. But we also hate it. We hate our dependence on it and how it causes us to get out of balance with what matters most to us.
Although many factors contribute to why we hate it, I’m convinced it’s mostly because social media makes everything all about us. We’re sucked into measuring our lives by who follows us and how many online friends we have. We want to believe we’re more than the total number of clicks on our last post, but we still check to see how many we have.
Oddly enough, however, the more we focus on ourselves, the less satisfied we feel. And the more we’re consumed with the things of this earth, the more we feel empty on the inside.

The reason is simple.
We were created for more — way more. We were not created for earth — but for eternity. We were not created to be liked but to show love. We were not created to draw attention to ourselves but to give glory to God. We were not created to collect followers but to follow Christ.

Social media and technology are great. But it’s time to be honest about our #Struggles . And to regain control of the amazing tools that technology provides us.
It’s time to put technology back in its place.
It’s time to love God with our whole hearts.

We were created for more than drowning ourselves in ourselves in social media. “The more we focus on ourselves, the less satisfied we feel.” Isn’t that the truth? Are you ready to put technology in its place and be present and satisfied in God alone?