It’s hard to comprehend how civilisation functioned before the internet. So much of life is lived on the web. It has become the main mode of communicating with loved ones, navigating our cities, entertaining ourselves, finding work, finding life advice and even finding life partners. As Christians, it plays an ever-growing role in our devotional lives, from sermon podcasts to worship playlists, guided prayers and more.
The internet has done us much good. It has enabled us to know and do far more at lower cost and greater speed than our ancestors could have dreamed. But it hasn’t only done us good.
Earlier this year, I read a book called The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. In it, he presents research linking our internet use to a reduced ability for focus and sustained mental exertion, reduced ability for critical thinking, reduced empathy and increased anxiety. Since the book’s release in 2010, much more scientific research has confirmed those insights. But I suspect most of us don’t need a scientific study to tell us this. We can feel the toll our screen time is taking on us.
That the internet impacts us cognitively probably doesn’t surprise you but have you considered its spiritual impact? Reading Carr’s book, I couldn’t help thinking how our internet habits might be affecting our growth in Christian maturity. As I reflected on this, I concluded that how we use the internet could be the deciding factor in this age between a life of spiritual flourishing or one of spiritual withering, between spiritual maturity and spiritual stagnation.
That is a big claim but you might agree with me if you consider how our internet habits affect our engagement with the three central ways God nourishes us spiritually.
Scripture
The Bible paints a picture of the flourishing life as one where you are immersed in God’s word (Psalm 1) and God’s word is immersed in you (Colossians 3.16). We grow in love, trust and faithfulness to God as we dwell on his word, understand it and build our lives on it. But how can we feast on God’s word when our internet use impairs our ability to focus, to read deeply and to memorise?
Prayer
In prayer, we experience intimate communication with God. We are called to pour out our hearts to him (Psalm 62.8) and wait on him (Psalm 27.14) and we are promised his comfort, strength and intervention. But as our internet habits disciple us into impatience and distraction, we need a vast amount of mental exertion to just hold a train of thought in prayer and waiting on the Lord feels like a near impossible ask.
Church
The Lord Jesus uses his body, the church, to build us up and sustain us through life’s trials. But our internet habits can hinder our enjoyment of the blessing of spiritual family. Impaired empathy makes it hard to “bear one another's burdens” (Galatians 6.2). Anxiety and comparison cripple relationships and our steady stream of internet distractions make it hard to provide the presence that love demands.
The internet can help or hinder the flourishing of your soul and your joy in God. It is a mixed blessing and requires wisdom if we would use it well. Do you feel spiritually dry? Lacking in affection for Christ? Perhaps the best next step is to evaluate your internet habits.
