4 Ways Information Overload Stunts Your Spiritual Growth

I discovered that true wisdom comes from a singular source: the Lord. Over time, I began pacing my neighborhood and praying verses such as Proverbs 3:5-6, which ask God to make the way forward clear and remind me that He alone directs my path.

This struggle to make decisions is not just a challenge for Christians; scientists have observed this phenomenon among smartphone users in general. With the internet at our fingertips, we are overloaded with more information than we can process, resulting in difficulty digesting data and making decisions.

Our brains were never designed to handle so much information. That is God's role, and as followers of Christ, it is our practice to rely on Him to guide us when we are unsure of the next right step. 

In today's information-saturated world, this "faith walk" may seem outdated, but as we continue to be bombarded with information, we will find it increasingly necessary to "walk by faith, not by sight," just like the early disciples did. The more we know, the less connected to reality we become, reinforcing our need for God's guiding Spirit in our lives.

Next time you are facing the unknown, the challenge for you and me is not to grab that phone right away, hoping that the knowledge it holds will be the key you hope will unlock the door to the best future. Wisdom comes from the Lord; knowledge can inform us, but God alone is the one who guides our steps. 

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The ways that technology steals our peace are multifaceted, and the younger generations are even more susceptible to the mental toll because they live less of their lives without tech at the center of it. 

The endless stream of information we are confronted with leads to increased levels of stress and anxiety. Being presented with so many options creates an unstable mental state, leaving us feeling lost and anxious. Access to this data stream interrupts our sleep patterns, complicating our bodies’ ability to remain mentally stable. As we become accustomed to the constant stimulation the internet offers, our attention wanes, making us less content in our real lives. Seeing so much of the lives of others leads to negative feelings about ourselves. All of this and more are creating an anxiety pandemic. 

God’s word encourages us to find peace by doing precisely the opposite of what our culture is doing. We are invited to “be still and know God” (Psalm 46:10). Technology is never still; it’s a constant stream of moving and changing information.

Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” When the entirety of our attention is being taken by the technology that lives in our homes, we are replacing God’s rule in our hearts with worship of information. Connection to God happens in the real world he made; we must shut off the distractions to know him and his peace. 

Colossians 3:15 also reminds us to be grateful. It’s incredible how the internet steals our gratitude. We see so many possibilities that the one we are living in no longer feels sufficient. To be people of peace, we have to practice gratitude and shut down the stream of information that wants to lead us to believe we can’t be content with what we have been given.

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We see urgent, heartfelt pleas for followers to respond to the various crises unfolding across the globe. While the needs being highlighted are often very real, seeing them online so frequently actually stunts our ability to take real action. Yes, posts and articles can shed light on things, but taking action requires the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

Not to mention, compassion fatigue is real, and over time, the bombardment of bad news leaves us feeling helpless to make any real difference in this world. Most of the time, the work we can do and Christ is leading us towards exists in the context of our daily lives in our particular locality. So many times, we are distracted by global tragedies (of which there is an endless stream), and we miss out on the issues that face our neighbors, friends, city, or state. 

Yes, we can pray for the wars and injustices that are faced around the globe. We can vote wisely for the leaders making decisions that impact these events, but practically, what we can get involved with will exist in your particular community. 

If you see a global problem that moves your heart as a Christ follower, the next step to being a light is finding a local way to make an impact. If your heart hurts for broken families, then getting involved with your local DSS is your best next step, as is potentially becoming licensed as a foster parent. If the plight of a refugee grieves you, find support for the ones in your locality. If racism has you up at night, engage with a Be the Bridge group or start one! 

I have bad news: As a Christ follower, an impassioned post is not enough. God calls us to be his hands and feet, which requires getting a little dirty in this world's muddy chaos.

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Once upon a time, when you had a problem, you had to go ask others how to solve it. If you were attempting a DIY project on your house, you would have to find a handy friend to teach you the needed skills. If you faced a parenting problem, you had to call your Mom and hope her advice helped. 

Now, when we have a problem, we consult the internet. 

The main issue this presents as Christ-followers is that God tells us that people are precious to him, and it’s our mission to ‘build one another up in Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We were made to live in community with one another, rubbing shoulders, navigating conflict, and sharing our knowledge and wisdom. 

I know this way of life is messier. It’s less efficient. Things often get complicated. Yet, our human interactions matter the very most in the life of a Christian. Jesus warns that our wealth, our successes, everything outside of our investment in loving God and loving others will perish at the end of this life (Luke 18:18-30).

The internet and all that goes along with it can be a massive distraction to the relational work God desires us to be doing. We can hide behind our screens. They can become our god, the things we rely on for every decision we make and every need. We have to be wary of how much we let this tool rule our lives and our kids' lives. The coming generations are losing so many fundamental life skills because more of their lives are online than offline. As a Christ follower, that fact should shake us. We must be vigilant to put information and technology into its rightful place and ensure God is the center of our lives.

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