Embracing God's Design in a Modern World
Spiritual Rest is something that I have always struggled with. Recently, my husband and I attended the Worship Together conference at The Belonging Co in Nashville, Tennessee. This was our second time participating in this conference. It has consistently been a source of rejuvenation for our relationship. During this particular time, many speakers spoke on the importance of Rest.
As Christians, we often overlook the significance of the seventh day during Creation when God rested (Genesis 2:2-3). As our goal is to become more like our Creator through sanctification, imitating His rest becomes essential in our lives.
During the conference, various speakers touched upon the theme of rest. One notable panel featured Jenny Black, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Tennessee, who addressed how our excessive engagement with social media disrupts our much-needed rest and affects our spiritual connection.
When we constantly remain connected to the virtual world through social media, we inadvertently create a disconnect from our faith.
Taking time away from our phones is essential for our faith.
Now, I believe it is essential to tell you that I would not have believed this even a week ago. I am someone who loves social media and sees its positives more than its negatives. I love scrolling through each social media app I have for several hours a day. Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, and Pinterest are where I find community and thought-provoking conversations.
What I didn’t realize is that stepping away from those apps is just as essential for my creative flow as participating in the online creative community. Although I love engaging with social media for the sense of community and thought-provoking conversations, I now recognize the importance of balance.
During the Worship Together Conference, I intentionally put my phone away during worship sets and speaking sessions. This deliberate choice allowed me to fully immerse myself in the experience and reconnect with my First Love – God.
This was abnormal for me. I often find myself glancing at my phone for a minute or two when I got bored during a sermon. However, during the conference, I challenged myself to break this habit and fully engage in the event.
It was during worship that my mind was brimming with ideas to write about or ponder. My creative outpour often comes from phrases or lyrics that inspire me. God truly used this time to prepare my heart and mind for more ideas to discuss in the future.
I now realize that limiting my exposure to others’ ideas creates a space in my heart and mind to better listen to God’s gentle whispers to my soul. By doing so, I focus on the truth I want to base my life on, rather than allowing myself to be solely influenced by external factors
Taking action is essential.
After attending the conference, my husband and I realized the need for a digital detox, and we were fortunate that his family planned a mini vacation camping in South Western Wisconsin. It provided us with the perfect opportunity to put our convictions into practice.
However, just because we had agreed this was necessary does not mean it was easy to do. Jenny Black worked with Church of the City in Nashville to do a community-wide digital detox in May. You can find their suggestions at https://cotc.com/digitaldetox/ for what sort of preparation is needed or what to expect during your detox.
Jenny Black’s work with Church of the City in Nashville, where they organized a community-wide digital detox in May, inspired us and served as a guide for our own detox journey.
Knowing I struggle more with being constantly connected to my pocket-sized computer, I knew I needed it out of sight. We made the decision for my husband to be the one holding onto both phones. His phone remained powered on, while mine was kept powered off, with the exception of emergencies from my family.
This decision to take action and follow through with the digital detox was a profound act of obedience, inspired solely by the Holy Spirit’s conviction. As someone who typically views my iPhone use optimistically, I would not have willingly given up my attachment to it without the prompting and guidance of the Spirit.
Taking time away leaves room for true Rest.
The first thing I noticed after powering off my phone was the lack of pressure I felt to constantly be checking it. This allowed me to experience the true Rest I had been missing.
The second was irritability. I noticed that my irritability and sensitivity around family members were common symptoms of detox, as Church of the City had mentioned.
In hindsight, this is not surprising. When detoxing from any kind of addiction, emotional rises and falls are to be expected. I knew that it was most likely going to happen. I expected it on some level.
Now, please know that I was not a monster during this time. I just noticed that I was snippier at my husband in particular and more sensitive around our family during this time. But despite camping in incredible heat and during a thunderstorm, I slept better than I had in ages.
During the camping trip with my family, I had a unique opportunity to be truly alone, something I had seldom experienced before. Growing up, I was always surrounded by people. It was only during college that I had my first taste of solitude.
This time alone required me to fully surrender myself to my circumstances. I watched the butterflies explore the world around them, listened to stories from family members, and even got more rest from simply existing than I had in years.
During this period of disconnecting from technology, I felt a profound connection with myself and God’s creation. I realized that I didn’t need to seek anything profound; I simply needed to be present and embrace the moments of Rest that life offered.
The Deep Need for Spiritual Rest
I walked away from those three days excited to wake up early and spend quiet mornings with God again. It made me feel different and more determined to step into a role in my home that God has been calling me to for almost a year now and I had been struggling to fill.
I feel at peace with the roles God has given me and am finally excited to embrace them. Part of this is due to the demands that both of our vocations make. The other is a lack of discipline when it comes to requiring spiritual rest to be part of our lives.
Moving forward, my goal is to take one weekend a month to unplug from this world and be fully engaged with the world around me. I encourage you to consider if you need to do the same.
Signs that you may need a digital detox include:
- Extreme lack of sleep
- Increase in Screen Time
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Laziness in daily activities
- Feeling stressed after scrolling through social media
- Anxiety if you don’t have your phone on your person
- Trouble focusing throughout your day or experiencing short periods of sustained concentration
- Obsessively checking social media accounts or emails (more than 3-5 times a day)
- Engaging in scrolling before bed and immediately after waking up
How are you prioritizing Spiritual Rest?
In a world that constantly demands our attention and engagement, it’s easy to get swept up in the constant state of moving and overlook the deep need for Spiritual Rest. My experience with Worship Together and the digital detox reminded me of the peace and fulfillment that comes from disconnecting with the world and reconnecting with my Creator.
I encourage you to take a moment to assess your own life. Are you missing out on the benefits of spiritual rest? When was the last time you were purposely engaged with God and cutting out the world? If any of this article resonated with you, I encourage you to check out the resources on https://cotc.com/digitaldetox/ and consider a digital detox.
We need to remember that we are not defined by how many people engage with us on social media, but that we are children of God and defined by the blood of Jesus.
Rest well, friends. May your souls find peace in your own gentle rhythms of rest.
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