The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Part one: The Problem
A Brief History of Speed (2|2)
Pages 36-43
TOGETHER read the book then the following scriptures slowly and attentively, meditate on the aspects of idolatry as you read together INDIVIDUALLY take notes in your journal on what stands out.
Jonah 2:8 (NIV) Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.
Psalm 135:15-18 (NIV) The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
1 Corinthians 10:14 (NIV) The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Isaiah 56:2 (NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
GROUP DISCUSSION:
Share just one or two things that stood out to you while reading the book and/or scripture. (try to keep it brief)
TOGETHER pray for one another.
INDIVIDUALLY answer the questions in your journal - process your notes and pray.
A recent study found that the average iPhone user touches his or her phone 2,617 times a day. Each user is on his or her phone for two and a half hours - millennials are twice that (this statistic was PRE-PANDEMIC). Most people surveyed had no clue how much time they actually lost to their phones. Right now everything is being intentionally designed for distraction and addiction. Because that’s where the money is.
What is your reaction to those statistics? (The intention here is not for you to feel guilt or shame about your screen time but it is meant for you to pause to think about it - which is exactly what app addiction is not wanting to do).
At what point does your amount of attention qualify as addiction and at what point is it considered idolatry?
Exodus 20:3 (NIV) “You shall have no other gods before me”.
Reflect on this question: Has our devotion and dependency on technology come before God?
Tony Schwartz said: “Addiction is the relentless pull to a substance or an activity that becomes so compulsive it ultimately interferes with everyday life. By definition, nearly everyone I know is addicted in some measure to the internet. Everyone.” So, should we throw away all of our technology? Never look at a screen again? Are we slaves to our devices and worshiping idols made by human hands? Are we breaking the first commandment by scrolling?
Comer ends this chapter with this question: What is all this distraction, addiction, and pace of life doing to our souls?
Reflect on these questions and journal your thoughts.
Pause and pray - Ask God what he thinks about your volume of screen time. This is not meant to bring condemnation - simply check in with God about it. If you feel like you should build some rhythms of putting your phone away for a certain amount of time each day, setting a challenge to not look at your phone for X amount of minutes when you first wake up, or taking a digital sabbath - go for it! If not, that’s okay - see what God says.
EXTRA READING:
“Christ seeks from us deeds not words. Devotion to him is, in the first place, not sentimental but practical. If the Christian faith has no power to restore or recreate the human will, leading one to deeds or unselfish service, then it stands self-condemned.”
- C.F. Andrews (1871 - 1940)