Message Minute (The Attention Hijack)

"In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." - Isaiah 30:15

When did you last go a day without checking your phone? When did you last sit in silence for ten minutes without feeling anxious?

The average person checks their phone 96 times per day—once every ten minutes during waking hours. We're drowning in data while starving for wisdom. We know a little about everything and nothing deeply about anything. We're informed but not transformed, connected but not grounded, stimulated but not satisfied.

This constant connectivity rewires our brains for anxiety, comparison, and distraction—the exact opposite of what our souls need to flourish. We've made ourselves allergic to depth, silence, and stillness. But spiritual growth happens in the deep places, not on the surface. God speaks in whispers, not in the noise.

Your phone is not neutral. Every time you reach for your phone instead of reaching for God, you're training your heart to find comfort in something other than Jesus. Every time you scroll instead of pray, you're forming habits that make intimacy with God more difficult.

We've surrounded ourselves with so much noise that we can't hear the voice of God anymore. We've filled every moment with activity so there's no space for God to speak. We've become experts at avoiding the very thing our hearts are crying out for—intimate connection with our Creator.

But here's the good news: this is not how God intended you to live. You were created to walk with God in the cool of the day. You were designed for intimate friendship with your Creator. Not in doing more, achieving more, being more productive, but in returning and rest, in quietness and trust.

Reflection Question: How is technology affecting your ability to connect with God? What boundaries might you need to set to protect your spiritual life?

Prayer: God, I confess that I've allowed distractions to hijack my attention. I've chosen stimulation over stillness, noise over Your voice. Help me to disconnect from the chaos and reconnect with You. Give me the courage to create boundaries that protect my soul. Amen.