Unpluggedنموونە

Clarity is important.  I have little kids that are excited about learning what it’s like to be a real “grown-up”.  I regularly give them some ‘opportunities’ to help me with around the house to give them ‘exposure’ to what it’s like to be an adult.  Mainly, I try to encourage them to clean their room.  The problem is their idea of “cleaning” isn’t quite the same as mine.  If I cleaned their room I’d put their toys in the toy box, clothes in the drawers or hamper, maybe vacuum the floors…But when they clean their room it’s more like a game of “How fast can I cram all my stuff under my bed”!  To get the result I want I have to be very clear about what I mean by “clean” when I tell them to clean their room.

Fasting also requires clarity – a well-defined thing we’re going to fast from and a pre-determined time we’re going to spend fasting.  For your digital fast you need to figure out exactly what forms of technology you’re going to break from.  I’d encourage you to think about the things that currently occupy a lot of your time and tie up your attention. Maybe it’s your social media apps, Netflix…you decide.  Then determine your parameters and the length of time you plan to fast. If this is your first digital fast, start with an hour or two a day (I’m going to shut my phone off from 6-8:00pm or I’ll leave my phone in my room during meal times, for example). If you really want to “go big” try fasting from all your technology for a 24-hour period.

1 Corinthians 10 reminds us that good things (like technology) aren’t always good for us.  Read this passage today and think about what “good things” in your life you need to take a break from so they don’t eventually hurt you (or those around you)!