Daniel Montgomery:
It’s hard to rest in today’s culture. It takes a big commitment to enjoy a sabbath, to unwind and recharge. Most of us carry around more work correspondence and files on our phones than our parents stored in their entire office complexes. The temptation to check email and social media is always there.
We need to unplug. And when I say unplug, I mean to be totally present and uninterrupted in our face-to-face interactions with family and friends, and in our prayers and praises to God. This kind of presence demands that we put away anything that beeps, buzzes, glows or otherwise draws our attention.
In the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, I found a helpful grid for unplugging that includes helpful scriptures:
- Ecclesiastes 2:22-23
- Ephesians 5:1-2
- Deuteronomy 8:10-11
And specific steps we can each take. Here are a few you should consider:
- Unplug electronic devices that interrupt relationships
- Refuse to put sensitive human interaction into electronic form.
- Don’t check email on weekends
- Have a no-email workday
These things will help us give the gift of our presence to our loved ones, and settle into quiet with Jesus.
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