What I Learned From a Week With No Internet
My internet is down right now. I had to order a new modem, and when the new one came it didn't work either. So I am patiently waiting until I have internet again to do much online.
I thought this would be a fitting time to republish this post from last year…
While having a computer with internet access is almost a necessity these days, we all get distracted with it sometimes, don't we? We sit there in front of Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, or whatever it is you like to look at, and end up sitting there longer than we intended.
When my computer's modem broke last week, I thought it would be a huge blessing. I would be forced to stay off the crazy computer and focus on more important things. It would be a breath of fresh air to not even sit down in front of that screen. I thought I might even have the chance to see for sure just how evil that computer was and decide to get rid of it for good!
But I learned a different, very important lesson.
It's not the computer that's the problem. It's me.
Computers and internet are incredible tools. They help us do all sorts of good things, like preparing Sunday School lessons, blogging encouragement to Christian women, and staying in touch with long-distance friends and far-off missionaries to name a few.
But they can be huge time-sucks too. We get on Facebook to say hi to a friend from church that we didn't see on Sunday or to read the latest update about an injured teenager we know, and the next thing we know it's been half an hour. Then we need to hop over to Pinterest to look up that recipe we were planning to make for supper. Another half hour gone. It's so easy to get lost on the internet even when you get on with the best of intentions.
You can see why I thought it would be nice not to even be able to get on.
But here's where the story didn't turn out like I thought it would.
First, it was terribly annoying not to be able to take care of things that needed to be taken care of – paying bills, sending emails, making a couple purchases, etc. I think having internet is getting to a point where it could actually be considered a necessity.
Second (and this is the part I don't like), I found out that I can find ways to waste time even without getting on the internet!
I am a born procrastinator! I hate it! Without even thinking about it, I find myself doing the least important things possible, instead of doing what I really should be doing.
Furthermore, when I do have some legitimate “down time”, I automatically seek out something entertaining rather than edifying.
I made a promise to the Lord years ago that every day I would not look at any type of media (books, magazines, movies, computer, etc.) unless I had already spent time reading His Word and praying. I haven't kept that promise perfectly, but I can honestly only think of a handful of days where I haven't.
But, here's the thing. Is there anything wrong with reading my Bible two times a day? Three? What kind of a person would I be like if I ran to spend time with the Lord every time I had a moment to sneak off?
As I think back to the days when my husband and I were dating, I can say for sure that I took full advantage of every possible opportunity to be with him. He was a dorm student at a local Bible college, and I was a commuting student, living only about 5 minutes away. I was in that cafeteria sharing every meal that I could with him. We were allowed a certain number of hours of dating every week, and you better believe we used up every minute. If I knew he was going to be somewhere, I would purposely make sure I ended up in the same place at the same time, even if all I had time to do was to say a quick hello.
If I can be that in love with a man, should I not be even more in love with the One who gave His very life because He loved me? And if I'm truly in love with Someone, wouldn't I want to spend time with Him every chance that I had?
Instead I've found the ugly attitude of “Well, I've already read my Bible today, so I shouldn't feel guilty doing something fun right now.”
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with entertainment, as long as it is wholesome. Everyone needs some rest and “down time” occasionally.
But I am wondering what kind of person I would be if I had such a passion for Jesus that I couldn't keep myself away from spending time with Him — if I went apart to spend time with him because I wanted so badly to be with Him. (Psalm 42:1)
No, friends. The computer is not the problem in my home. It's me.
I am begging God to continue to do a work in my heart – to give me more of a desire to be with Him and to be like Him. However, I must also remember that love is an action. With that in mind, I will be making the choice to spend time with the Lord during my down times, even if I feel like I'd rather do something entertaining. I think the results will be better than I could ever hope for.
What about you, my dear readers? What would our nation be like if we all got a passion for Jesus and just couldn't stay away from Him? I believe that's when we'll see revival. And it can happen. But we must make the choice to love him. Our love must be based upon action, not feeling.
