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Wake up.

Check my phone.

Eat breakfast.

Turn on my computer.

Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, back to Facebook.

I respond to that anxious feeling that maybe someone’s trying to contact me, then sit and scroll through my newsfeed as the hours ebb away.

Like most other people, I’m generally a little more into feasting than fasting. This July, however, I’m kind of excited to have a reason to shut off some of the distractions in my life.

There’s nothing magical about the twelve fasts Live Dead encourages people to engage in. What’s nice about it is it reminds me to regularly examine how I am affected by many different aspects of my life. It gives me a community of affirmation and accountability as I grow in Jesus.

There’s no reason I couldn’t do this on my own, but when I consider taking a break from the internet, I almost feel guilty. I don’t want to be a bad friend and miss what’s going on in the lives of those I love. Especially when I live so far away from them.

It’s silly, but it’s true. I’m pretty excited for a chance to unplug.

Granted, I can’t just disconnect my modem and go web-free for a whole month. I have to use the internet for my job, so I know I’ll still be online regularly. The big difference is I’ll only be doing it when necessary, and I have a feeling that will be a whole lot less than I get on now.

Jump On Board

I’m excited for a Facebook-less, Instagram-less, Hulu-less month, because instead of all the noise that enters my life through those media I can enjoy some more peace. I can focus on being more attuned to the Holy Spirit, and hopefully also find time for a few more books in there.

Don’t believe the lie that the mindless activities you do online help you rest.

Zoning out is not the same thing as charging up.

So this month, I invite you to create a little more breathing room in your life. Log off, un-plug, then lean back and give a deep sigh, relieved of the pressure to constantly be responding to something. There’s a good chance those things are less important than you think, and when you cut them out, you will finally be able to hear what matters more.

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