Having a high tech phone always on you can mean:

• the quiet moments are about self-amusement or social interaction. A relationship with God is forgotten.
• sleep, and other forms of rest, are relegated to second place as there’s always a constant distraction. The needs God made us to have are ignored, and we suffer as a result. Tiredness leads to a kind of weakness that can make us very vulnerable to temptation.
• the world and eternal stimuli are constantly being pumped into us. We become immune to soul-searching or self-examination, and act/think like the crowd around us. The world is good at making that which is exciting and enticing, and in applying significant pressure on us to fit in. Psalm 1 refers to the blessings of the upright man who isn’t influenced by worldliness.
• the occasions for temptation multiply. We are in more situations where we can act on our sinful thoughts, as mobile devices have plenty of opportunity to feed/stimulate gossip, envy, pride, bullying, greed, and carnal longing’s for instant gratification. Dangerous.
• devotional time is squeezed out by more engaging media. Talking with my wife I was realising I often read blogs/twitter in the mornings to “try and wake up”, but all too often after I’m awake they continue to eat into the short time I have for personal devotions before family devotions and work.

There are plenty benefits, but for most of us that’s not what we need persuaded of. We’ve really got to be on our guard.

To try and take some action in the fight back against it all, my wife and I were realising the need to get all technology out of the bedroom, so we can guard sleep and devotions particularly. I hope that, with repentance, is a good start.

If you’ve any other thoughts on the dangers we face, or the way to put the right boundaries around our use of technology, please contribute them below. Let’s use technology to help each other out.