This Lent season, grow in your faith by removing the distraction of technology from your life and refocusing on Christ.
The Impact of Technology
Technology touches almost every aspect of a person’s life. Since the Covid-19 pandemic shifted the world online — school and the workplace both turning remote — our lives have become infested with technology that we cannot escape. During the pandemic, the average screen time for adults was a staggering 19 hours per day. The results of constantly being on devices include insomnia, addictive behaviors, changes in cognition and reduced physical activity levels. But these effects can be lessened by regular breaks from devices.
Although we may not be able to control the time we spend on devices for work or school, we can control how we use our screens in our free time. This Lent season is an excellent opportunity to turn our attention away from technology and toward our Father.
A Fast for the Lent Season
As Easter quickly approaches, we prepare our hearts though the practice of Lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter, during which we commemorate the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. We prepare to celebrate Easter by fasting. The Bible speaks about fasting in passages like Joel 2:12-13, and often mentions it as a supplement to prayer. Lent is a fitting time to set aside distractions and spend time in prayer.
This Lent season, consider how much of your time and attention is taken by technology. How does your phone distract you from God and the people you love? How can eliminating aspects of technology from your life impact these relationships in a positive way?
Our challenge for you is to fast from technology for the season of Lent. Take a break from your phone and other devices and refocus on Christ through prayer and remembrance. Challenge yourself to minimize the distraction of technology as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
5 Ways to Fast for Lent This Season
Here are five ways you can minimize technology for your fast and in your life:
1. The Two-Hour Challenge
In the book, Becoming a Screen Savvy Family, our friends over at coined the phrase, “The Two-Hour Challenge.” The idea is that, for a set two hours of your day, you would put away all devices. It may seem unreasonable to not access your phone for the whole day, but for two hours each day, we challenge you to put away your phone and all its distractions. You can use this time to dig deep into a Bible passage or start a prayer journal. If you have a difficult time disconnecting from technology, this challenge may be an attainable goal for this Lent season.
Application: Set aside a two-hour chunk of time every day during Lent to put away all devices. Use that time to focus on an activity that draws you closer to Christ.
2. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Perhaps it’s not technology as a whole that steals your focus, but specific apps. During this season of Lent, consider deleting apps that steal the most time or provide the least benefit, like social media apps or games. A recent study has shown that people who spend less than 30 minutes each day on social media experience significant improvement in well-being. If that is the case, imagine what would happen if you eliminated your social media usage completely for 40 days?
Application: Whether you choose one app or every form of social media that you access, commit to removing it from your life during Lent. When you catch yourself going to open the app, stop and pray.
3. Make Your Phone Boring
As it becomes popular to “detox” from digital devices, there are a few ways that you can customize your phone to make it less tempting to pick up and mindlessly waste time on. Apps like Minimalist or Blank Spaces eliminate distractions from your phone. They are designed to reduce your daily screen time by removing aspects that make your phone addicting. Another method for making your phone less interesting is to turn your phone screen’s color to grayscale. By going to your phone’s settings and finding the color settings, you can remove the addictive pull of bright colors and make your phone less captivating.
Application: This Lent season, pick an app or method to make your phone boring. Mute the tempting display or colors on your phone that encourage you to spend time mindlessly scrolling.
4. Buy an Alarm Clock
What is the first thing you see when you wake up and the last thing you see before you go to sleep? Most of us would sheepishly admit that the object in question is our phones. Make a change this Lent by putting your phone in a different room at night. Achieve a better night’s sleep by staying away from your phone the hour before you go to bed and an hour after you wake up. Buy an alarm clock to wake up to and remove any need for your device during your first waking hour. Fill this crucial time in your day with reading God’s word and praying. Instead of letting temporary distractions influence the trajectory of your day, let the word of God fill your heart and mind.
Application: Buy an alarm clock and store your phone in a different room while you sleep. Let the first and last thing you see in your waking hours be the Word of God, not your phone.
5. Invest in Less Distracting Technology
If you would prefer to completely remove the main source of technology in your life, consider ditching your phone for 40 days. If you need to contact others, invest in an older, less technologically capable phone (like a flip phone) to keep the necessities of mobile communication without the distracting features. Although this is a more expensive challenge, it’s a great option if you desire to add regular technology fasts into your routine. One small investment can lessen the hold that technology has on your life.
Application: Put away your phone for the season of Lent. If necessary, invest in a more rudimentary phone to stay in contact with others. This removes the distractions of a smartphone and allows space for spiritual and relational growth.
These are only five ideas for how to change the way that you interact with technology during Lent. We’d encourage you to consider doing more research find the right method for you.
Tips for Your Fast This Lent Season
Be Intentional
Be sure that, as you fast, you are not wasting the time you create for yourself. Use that time you now have in a way that promotes growth. Find practices that deepen your relationship with Christ, such as reading God’s word, praying and serving others to replace the time you would otherwise be spending on your phone.
Start Small This Lent Season
As you challenge yourself to fast from your typical use of technology for 40 days this Lent, recognize that small steps make lasting change. Pick one method listed above to put into practice for the Lent season, rather than trying to accomplish all five. It is more important that you are consistent in making small changes, focused on maintaining the benefits. Something as small as setting aside your phone for two hours a day can create lasting change in the way that you interact with technology, and more importantly, can make room for deeper connections with our Savior.
