Lenten fasts. Many people use the weeks leading up to Easter as a time to give up a habit or pleasure in order to make more room for God in their lives. Some examples of Lenten fasts are giving up certain foods like soda or coffee. People may abstain from favorite activities like eating out or playing video games. They might fast from engaging in practices like gossiping or complaining.
Why do this? Fasting can help us turn our attention to God and show us our deep need for Him. When I gave up chocolate one Lent, I let every craving for a delicious cocoa treat remind me to instead call out to God and yearn for Him. When my friend denied herself a daily cup of coffee, she leaned on Jesus for energy and strength.
While fasting from chocolate or coffee can benefit us, perhaps an even better practice might be fasting from technology. Although I love the benefits of technology, like the ability to Skype with family members who live in other states or the convenience of ordering things on the internet and having them delivered to my door, technology can consume our lives. In his book, Digital Minimalism, author Cal Newport informs readers that the designers of social media sites intentionally attempt to hook you. They entice you to keep coming back and stay on the site for longer and longer periods of time. Our phones and apps are fashioned to capture our attention. But when we give all our focus to our devices, we may deprive our heavenly Father of the attention He deserves.
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What if we gave up some of the time we spend on our phones, computers, and tablets and instead used that time to connect with God in His Word and serve His people? Just like my craving for a Dove chocolate led me to talk with God, the urge to reach for my phone could be the impetus to reach out to Jesus. The need to check my Instagram feed could lead me to find validation in God’s love instead. The compulsion to read Twitter for the latest news could remind me to read the Good News of God’s Word.
Now you might be thinking: Give up technology? Impossible! I need my computer for my job. My company demands that I work through email and Zoom. I have to keep in touch with my children through texting. Our modern lives may require us to use technology daily. But we can still find ways to limit our use of devices and apps.
This Lenten season, consider trying some of these ways to disentangle yourself from the grip of technology through these partial fasts:
Choose a set time of the week or month to detox from any technology you don’t need. Use your computer for work, but turn it off when all necessary tasks are finished. Text your family members, but stay off social media. No need to mindlessly scroll.
Observe how this changes your perspective and use the added time to connect you with God and your family.
I try to spend my Sundays away from emails and social media. This weekly Sabbath practice renews my soul as I read uplifting books and spend some time journaling in my Bible. What day of the week might work for you to abstain from technology and refocus your attention on Christ? What precious time might you regain to spend with family, friends, and believers who pour into your life?
During the weeks of Lent, decide not to use technology during certain hours of the day. Perhaps you will choose not to check your phone right away in the morning. Or you might declare the dinner table as a “no-phone zone.” You could decide to turn off all devices at 8:00 each night. Perhaps you’ll use the “Do Not Disturb” function on your phone to help you keep your intentions. Observe how this practice changes your perspective. Do you find it easier to give attention to your loved ones? to God?
At the beginning of every Lent, I see some of my Facebook friends announce that they will not be on the site until after Easter. If you can’t do a total fast from social media, try limiting your time on these sites. Set a timer on your phone for fifteen minutes and close Instagram when the alarm sounds. Remind yourself that your worth doesn’t depend on the number of likes you get, but on your place in God’s family.
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This is a tough one, especially following 2020 when online shopping became the norm. But, except for essentials, stay off of internet shopping sites. Don't fall victim to Cyber Monday's relentless promises that you are saving money by spending money. Mute, delete, or even unsubscribe from certain stores' email newsletter lists. The fewer discounts, coupons, and sales flooding your inbox, the less likely you are to convince yourself you need to make an online purchase.
Make do with what you have. Support local merchants. Stop by antique stores, thrift shops, and yard sales. See store owners face to face.
Meanwhile, you can choose to fast from the economy's constant pull of materialism and look to God for your needs. Take time to pray and consider if rather than buying something, God is calling you to give something away, whether that be gently used clothes, baby items, or even your time.
Perhaps instead of a total technology fast, you’ll choose to stop using the myriad of apps on your phone. That game you love to play. The podcasts that reel you in. Or maybe it's a more socially-geared app like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
After a while, you may notice that you don’t miss them. You might also discover that you were only using certain apps to impress others or keep up with people who don't serve a healthy purpose in your life. All the while, as you continue abstaining from the unhealthy reasons that once hooked you to these apps, you will have more time for reading God’s Word, the source of true, content life.
Our addiction to technology may be so ingrained that we find ourselves at a loss of what to do instead. Plan ahead what you will do to fill the time with practices that draw you closer to Christ. Some ideas may include:
Decide to read through the Gospels. Reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John will reengage you with the life of Christ.
Go analog. Read a paper book about faith. Do some Bible journaling with colored pencils and pens. Send hand-written notes and cards to friends through snail-mail.
Meet face to face. Schedule time to get together with friends in person. Share your experience of a technology fast. Listen to your friends’ Lenten journeys. Pray together. If possible, go to church in person again and worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Revisit classic hymns. Pray through Lenten hymns like, “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed” or “What Wondrous Love is This?”. Their rich lyrics will draw your attention to Jesus’ sacrifice.
Accept God’s invitation to rest. Meditate on Scriptures that nurture and quiet your soul. Remind your heart, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (Psalm 62:5). Think about Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Contemplate Jesus’ invitation in Mark 6:31, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Find other passages that call you to rest in God, like Isaiah 30:15, Psalm 116:7, and Psalm 23.
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This Lenten season, let’s make more room for God in our lives. Whether we choose to fast from all non-essential technology for a time or decide on a partial fast focused on a particular technology or a limited time, we will discover added hours in our days plus increased focus and peace. As we purposefully disconnect from technology, we can be more intentional with relationships with family, friends, and fellow believers. We can be more intentional with how and where to serve others. We can be more intentional about using our God-given talents to find joy and glorify God. But best of all, we can be more intentional by reconnecting with our Lord.
God is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory, and as the Easter season calls us all to refocus our hearts and minds on this truth, may we discover that His beauty far outshines the lights and sounds of technology, may we realize His love is more captivating than scrolling through online sales, and may we reaffirm in our souls that Christ's sacrifice is all we will ever need to satisfy our hearts.
Sharla Fritz is a Christian author and speaker who weaves honest and humorous stories into life-changing Bible study. Author of Soul Spa: 40 Days of Spiritual Renewal (), Sharla writes about God’s transforming grace. You can find out more about Scripture meditation and other spiritual disciplines in her free resource: Soul Spa Kit: 59 Ways to Care For Your Soul (http://www.sharlafritz.com/2015/09/free-resource-59-ways-to-care-for-your-soul/). Sharla lives in the Chicago suburbs with her amusing pastor husband. Connect with Sharla at www.sharlafritz.com