We all know the struggle of our phone dying and being without a charger. Or forgetting our phone somewhere and not having it for a few hours. If you're like me, as soon as I am without my phone, I feel lost. What if my friends are inviting me to eat right now? (Because food is life, right?) What if my manager is trying to call me into work? WHAT IF THERE'S A GRAB-A-DATE? And then the panic sets in. Within the few hours I haven't had a phone I've missed out on a burrito from La Fiesta, I'm going to be fired, and I'm missing the coolest Grab-A-Date of the semester. I don't even know what time it is. My life is over.
......
Last week, my beloved iPhone crashed. Completely blacked out on me. It would ring, but I could not see who was calling me, it would notify me of a text message, but who was texting me? For the first few hours, there was that initial panic, but then as time went on I turned the phone on silent. I was completely cut off from social media, and anyone else that was not in my house at the moment. My life was FAR from over, it was actually just beginning to make sense. During the time I would usually lay around and stalk social media, but this time I pulled out my Bible. The first verse that came to me as I flipped through the pages stated, "...making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:16. Had I really been making the best of my time before my phone broke? I began to wonder what I was doing during all of my free time. Then, the most crucial question came to mind, 'When was the last time I had picked up this Bible, compared to the last time I checked my Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter?' The answer broke my heart.
I continued my Bible study for a couple of hours, soaking in what I could before I realized I had no idea what time it was. I always used my phone to keep track of time, and while checking the time on my phone I generally took that chance to go through and check all of my social media as well. I stood up, walked to my jewelry box and took out a watch. When was the last time I even wore a watch? This became my routine the next few days. Wake up, put on my watch, take a moment to get my Bible out and do a morning devotion and then continue my day. By day three, I had no desire to check my social media, my phone was the last thing on my mind, and I felt closer to Christ than ever. I am currently in the process of planning a wedding, so I didn't get past day 5 without having to buy a new phone, but that doesn't mean I've returned to my old ways. I still wake up every morning, put my watch on and get out my Bible.
This has started my days off more positively and has helped me light my candle every morning as I prepare to interact with others and hope to allow God to shine through my life. My phone doesn't control me anymore, I don't have to check it every 5 minutes to know what so-and-so just posted on Instagram, or to know where everyone is and what they 're doing. I'm able to eat without having my phone at the table, I'm able to sit and work on wedding plans without getting distracted, and as soon as school starts back, I'll be able to study without having the anxiety that something is going to happen and I'm going to miss it because I don't have my phone. The most important things in life aren't burritos from La Fiesta (yes, I'm sure), they aren't coming up with scenarios that most likely won't happen because of something you can't control (hence, I didn't get fired), and they aren't Grab-A-Dates (again, yes, I'm sure). The most important things in life are being who you are, keeping a close relationship with Christ, and actually interacting with the people around you instead of via text message or phone calls.
Try turning your phone on silent every once in a while and getting a breath of fresh air and clearing your mind. You'll be surprised what you can learn about yourself, I was.
