No Substitutes

For a season, I found myself spending a lot of time on electronic devices. For example, when prompted to read the Word, I would often do something else, like get on my cell phone. When the Holy Spirit would lead me to pray, I would turn to the streaming service on my TV instead. Rather than drawing near to worship Him, I messed around on my tablet. It took a little while for my lightning fast mind to realize it, but I was being drawn away from God by these things.

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. James 1:14 (New Living Translation, NLT)

I was being tempted, bit by bit, to pull away from the Lord. What was tempting me? My desire for electronic entertainment and sensory stimulation. So often, we are tricked by the little things. Yes, we are on guard for the big temptations and distractions. For example, we watch out for sexual impurity. We are on the lookout for the temptation to take something that isn’t ours. We look for the big ones and miss the small desires that would pull us away from intimacy with God.

There are so many things that will try to come in and become a substitute for God, but nothing can adequately take His place. There is no substitute for daily time studying the Word. There is no substitute for prayer. There is no substitute for time spent in His presence worshiping and communing with Him. There is no substitute for speaking in tongues. No matter what other things we do, these things are the most important.

TV, the internet, texting, and other things are not bad in themselves. They are bad when we get out of balance and put them ahead of God. Do we need to throw them away? Do we need to take a hammer to the cell phone and throw the computer on the trash heap? No, we simply need to be conscious of doing what God would have us do before we turn to entertainment and recreation. No matter what, God is our foremost priority. When we put God first, He will bless our recreation time as well.