The notion that we become what we give our attention to is traditionally attributed to the early 1st Century musings of Stoic philosopher Epictetus (Lebell, 1995). More than 1700 years later, the father of psychology, William James wrote, “My experience is what I agree to attend to (James, 1890),” thus establishing, as a foundational idea in Psychology, the concept that attention sculpts our reality and identity.
Neither Epictetus nor James could have imagined how profoundly and dramatically their musings and assertion would be proven true as they have in the 1st Quarter of this 2nd Millennium. Humans have always had a symbiotic relationship with technology. Most everything we create has some reciprocal effect on our lives. The printing press, tractor, and automobile are three great examples.
But something has gone seriously wrong in the digital age!
Our relationship with technology has become toxic. Never have we experienced such a rapid and detrimental effect from our technological creations. In her March, 2025 article, Psychology Today contributor Gina Simmons Schneider, Ph.D. outlines how digital media contributes to anxiety, depression, and the spread of misinformation; highlighting the rise of “the four digital horsemen”: disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and pseudoscience, which blur the lines between truth and manipulation.
In April, 2025, Jon Johnson and Amy Murnan published an article for Medical News Today documenting “8 Negative Effects of Technology.” This includes depression, reduction in physical activity, sleep loss, and behavior and concentration issues in children. Indeed, those raised in the digital age are most obviously and detrimentally impacted. However, according to Pew Research, Baby Boomers still represent a significant share of users on Facebook and YouTube (2024, November 13), with the consequences of digital age technology affecting them as well.
Clearly, everyone with digital access is at risk! But let’s be clearer still: The mature among us are most responsible for what has been done to our children, most responsible for protecting them going forward, and most responsible for the healing and restoration required. The big question: Will Christian leaders continue to abnegate our responsibility for the Body of Christ to the world systems most culpable for the damage?
Beyond the Physical, Social, and Psychological
As detrimental as the digital age has been to our psychological, social, and physical health, the devastation to our spiritual life (and our lives together) runs much deeper. It is impossible to overstate the danger created by the investment of our attention toward the things of this world. Our spiritual health, and that of everyone we love, has been compromised. It is neither hyperbole nor cliché to say we are in a battle for our souls and the souls of those entrusted to our care.
The destruction caused through the capture of our attention by digital age instruments compounds over time, and with the amount of attention we invest in them. The following verses powerfully attest to this important truth.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2
The commands here are quite clear, but just to be sure we do not miss it: We are commanded to not set our minds on things on the earth. We are commissioned to be in the world, but not of it. Setting our mind there is an “of it” move. It might be just my imagination, but I find it interesting that people engaged with their smart phones and computers look very much like statues, set in stone.
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2Thessalonians 2:9-10
The digital age has made it increasingly easy to deceive, so let us be clear: all deception is evil, and all evil is to be avoided. It is up to each person, family, and fellowship to determine how far we have drifted from the love of the truth into the Great Apostasy, but we should all be asking ourselves, “How careful have we been in protecting ourselves and those entrusted to our protection?”
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
This passage reminds us that the world is our enemy, working to capture our attention and conform our souls. Moreover, here we discover the compounding effect of lost opportunity: time invested in the world is time lost, time that can no longer be invested in the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
We suffer the same opportunity cost in relation to our spiritual maturity.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:18
Staring into lifeless screens rather than the glory of the Lord is an opportunity cost beyond our imagination. How foolish must one be to settle for this lesser life? I have to ask myself this question more often than I would like to admit.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4
We include this last verse as more a warning than an assertion. In fact, I do not know any Christians that consciously desire to be friends with the world. But it is our subconscious mind that we should be worried about; that is where digital technologies play with our affections and work to conform us (and those we love) into enemies of God.
The battles we face in this storm-, chaos-, and crisis-filled season can seem overwhelming. However, to throw up our hands in resignation to the status quo is to admit a spiritual weakness and faith incoherent with God’s promises, to reject several of His expressed truths, to disobey His commands as our King, and to ultimately abandon our responsibility to one another.
Speaking of “one another,” there has never been a more important time to draw together in community. Lone rangers will be targeted first and swept away. The truth and presence of God found in fellowship with one another far outweighs anything one might determine (in their own opinion) to be an error or an offense.
Find your platoon!!
Importantly, focusing attention on our spiritual health provides the wisdom and resources we need to mitigate the damage done, build protective barriers, and restore what has been lost. We will explore God’s way for each of these stages of spiritual reformation over the next few articles. In the meantime, how about some proactive exercises?
“We will never find the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it (Lewis, 1952).” With that fine quote in mind, try one or two of these exercises:
- Fast those entertaining shorts and reels for a month.
- Fast your favorite social media platform or all news programs and platforms for one week.
- Use your smart phone as only a phone for a couple of days.
- The next time you have nothing better to do, see how long you can resist picking up your smart phone.
- Do not touch your phone from two hours before going to bed to two hours after waking up.
- Try any of these on your children.
- Restrict smart phones from all family gatherings and outings.
I suspect you have recognized that these are probably good things to do anyway; but, seriously, push back against this would-be captor of your attention and see what happens. You may discover its grip is much stronger than you imagined.
God bless you with wisdom and courage to face this latest and most insidious threat to your soul, and the souls of those entrusted to your care.
Have a strong day in the Lord,
Rob
#iamjustthepen
James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology (Vol. 1). Henry Holt and Company. : Retrieved on June 24, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1037/10538-000
Lebell, S. (1995). The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness. Harper: San Francisco.
Johnson, J. and Murnan, A. (2025, April 15). Negative Effects of Technology: Psychological, Social, and Health. Medical News Today: Retrieved on June 24, 2025, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/negative-effects-of-technology)
Sidoti, O. and Dawson, W. (2024, November 13). Social Media Fact Sheet. Pew Research Center: Retrieved on June 24, 2025, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
Simmons Schneider, G. (2025, March 13). The Dangers of Digital Media on Society and the Human Brain. Psychology Today: Retrieved on June 24, 2025, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/frazzlebrain/202503/the-dangers-of-digital-media-on-society-and-the-human-brain