In today's society, most people are enslaved to technology. As time passes, our eyes are glued to a screen that's slowly consuming our existence and taking a piece of us that we will never get back. We spend our time being hypnotized by the perfection that's being sold on social platforms and chasing the wind to acquire everything that comes across our feed. We can no longer live in the moment because our phones must enjoy the first fruits of our memories before we do. Sadly, people are no longer in control but are being controlled.
I wish I could act holier than thou and give a side eye to those overconsumers, but I was a victim just like them. In the past, I would find myself mindlessly scrolling on my phone for hours and hours, and when I would look back up, I felt like I was brought back to reality. Once I became aware of this, I began to feel discomfort whenever I spent hours on TikTok or other social media platforms. I felt the Holy Spirit poking at my heart to let me know there were valuable things I could do with my time. From that moment, I began to live the life that’s right in front of me, not the one on social media. As a child of God, God has promised all his children an abundant life, and it's time to gather the secret riches around us. But to do that, we have to learn to be present.
Being present gives you the ability to recognize the presence of God through the simple things we often take for granted. God reveals himself in many ways and desires to spend time with us. It could be through going on a morning walk, doing our daily activities, or sitting outside on a quiet afternoon reading a book. However, the enemy is trying to rob us of that time by having our eyes glued to a screen.
If you think of the Israelites in The Book of Exodus, they often neglected God’s presence and turned to many idols to give them comfort and satisfaction, and that behavior cost many of them the promised land. It is the same thing we do when we turn to our phones or social media to give us comfort, validation, and more. We neglect the gift of being present, and it’s costing us something. With the way society is going, technology may seem like a “necessity” rather than an option. But we need to be mindful of how we use it so it doesn't consume us.
Here are three practical tips to practice being present.
1. When you wake up in the morning, grab your bible and pray that the Lord will speak to you through his word. Reading your bible in the morning is like having a conversation with God. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your understanding so that you can understand what God wants to reveal to you. I enjoy the book of Proverbs because the wisdom in it is direct. But everyone is different, so whatever scripture you feel drawn to may be best for you.
2. Simply ask the Lord to spend time with you. In September 2021, I got saved, underwent many life changes, and lost friends. I was afraid I would have no one to spend my birthday with. So one day, I was in the shower, and jokingly, I said, “Jesus, can you spend my birthday with me?” After getting out of the shower and dressing, I went to my living room to watch TV. I received a phone call from the baptism ministry in my church, and the lady said, “Hey, we are having baptism on September 12, and I wanted to know if you would like to get baptized that day.” September 12 is my birthday. Immediately, I told her what happened, and we both gave God the Glory. I got baptized on my birthday and officially entered the Kingdom of God that day. After the baptism, unknowingly, the ministry threw a surprise birthday party just for me, and it was filled with love that only God can give. The Lord is God who hears and sees. So simply ask him to spend time with you, and he will.
3. Make it a goal to live an active life. Your life has so much potential. You never know what action you take that will lead you to new places, opportunities, and people. Taking action can be as simple as joining a class, trying a new hobby, visiting new restaurants, starting a new project, joining a ministry in church, traveling, and more. I used to spend my time subconsciously living through others on social media when all it took was me getting up and doing it. So, make it a goal to live an active life.
I pray this blog post has helped you to recognize the importance of being present. If you have anything to add, please feel free to comment.
Linda Smit