Our phones are no longer just tools, but they are tiny worlds in our hands. They connect us, entertain us, teach us, and organise our lives. But they also shape our thoughts, habits, and even our relationship with God. The Bible never mentions smartphones, but it speaks deeply about the heart, the eyes, attention, and stewardship, all of which are affected by how we use technology.
The Practical Changes #
| Change | Positive Potential | Danger |
|---|---|---|
| Constant Connection | Stay in touch with loved ones | Shallow relationships, neglect of in-person fellowship |
| Instant Information | Learn, grow, and stay informed | Overload, confusion, and misinformation |
| Entertainment on Demand | Healthy relaxation | Addiction, distraction from priorities |
| Productivity Tools | Organisation, reminders | Reliance that weakens memory and discipline |
Reflections on Phone Use #
a) The Eyes and the Heart #
Matthew 6:22–23 (AMP)
The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the very light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!
Jesus teaches that the eye, which is the gateway of perception, determines what fills our inner life. In biblical language, the eye represents focus, attention, and desire. If our eyes are fixed on truth, our inner being will be filled with light. If our gaze is corrupted, our inner life will be darkened.
In our time, the phone has become one of the main windows through which our eyes receive light or darkness. The constant feed of images, videos, and headlines is not neutral. What we continually consume shapes our thoughts, our desires, and even our spiritual appetites. Endless scrolling, suggestive content, and materialistic displays can dull our sensitivity to God’s presence and cloud our judgment.
The danger lies in subtle drift. The Adamic man, which is our old nature, is easily drawn toward what gratifies the flesh (1 John 2:16). It delights in what is flashy, indulgent, or self-exalting. In Christ, we are given a new nature with new desires. The cross marks the turning point. The old man with his darkened sight was crucified. The new man sees with Christ’s eyes.
Colossians 3:1–2 (AMP)
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].
When our eyes are set on Christ, His word, His works, and His ways, our whole inner life becomes enlightened. The Greek word for “clear” in Matthew 6:22 is haplous (ἁπλοῦς), which means “single, undivided, free from duplicity.” A single eye is not distracted by competing loves but is fixed wholly on Him who is the Light of the world (John 8:12).
If the eye is the lamp of the body, then the phone in our hand is like the lens through which that lamp receives its fuel. What we allow through that lens will either brighten our walk or dim it. The choice is not just about avoiding bad content. It is about cultivating a Christ-centred vision that fills us with His life.
In a world of endless digital noise, the call is clear. Guard your gaze, fix your eyes on Jesus, and let His light fill every part of your being.
b) Stewardship of Time #
Ephesians 5:15–16 (AMP)
…making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity] because the days are [filled with] evil.
Time is one of the most precious gifts God has entrusted to us. Once it is spent, it cannot be recovered. The way we use our phones can either be a tool that serves the purposes of God or a thief that robs us of what is eternal. When we choose to read the Scriptures, send words of encouragement, or learn something that strengthens our walk with Christ, our time is redeemed and invested into things that last forever. But when we give ourselves to endless scrolling, shallow entertainment, or constant comparison with others, we slowly waste away the hours meant for our growth in Christ.
As those who have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ, our time no longer belongs to us. It belongs to the One who bought us with His blood. Therefore, every moment should be seen through the lens of the cross, asking, “Does this bring me closer to Him, or does it pull me back into the old life?” In Christ, time becomes a seed that can bear fruit for eternity.
c) Stillness Before God #
Psalm 46:10 (AMP)
Be still and know [recognize, understand] that I am God.
The soul that is always busy rarely hears the gentle whisper of the Lord. In our age of constant alerts, messages, and news, the noise is not only around us but also within us. If we do not learn to be still before God, our hearts will be pulled in many directions, and our spiritual hearing will grow faint.
Silence is not just the absence of sound. It is the posture of the heart that turns away from distractions to look to Christ. It is choosing to put aside the phone, close the door, and let the mind rest in His presence. In that stillness, the Spirit renews our thoughts, aligns our desires with His, and strengthens us to live in the reality of Christ within.
When Christ is in you and you live by His Spirit, stillness becomes more than a discipline. It becomes the environment where His voice is clear, His peace fills your soul, and His life flows freely.
d) Idolatry of the Digital #
1 John 5:21 (AMP)
Little children, guard yourselves from idols [false teachings, moral compromises, anything that would take God’s place in your heart].
Idolatry is not only bowing to carved images. It is giving the devotion, trust, and attention that belong to God to something else. One of the most common and unnoticed idols is the device we carry everywhere. When the first thing we reach for in the morning and the last thing we hold at night is our phone, it can quietly take the place of Christ in our affections. What begins as a tool can become a throne in our heart, shaping our moods, our priorities, and even our identity.
The Spirit calls us to guard our hearts. This means intentionally putting Christ first in the day, allowing Scripture, prayer, and worship to set the tone before any screen does. When Christ is in you and you live by His Spirit, no digital power can rule over your heart, because He alone fills it.
Redeeming Our Phone Habits #
| Biblical Principle | Practical Action |
|---|---|
| Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23) | Curate content; unfollow accounts that stir sin or envy |
| Be present (Philippians 2:4) | Turn off notifications during meals, prayer, and fellowship |
| Seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) | Make the Bible app the first thing you open each morning |
| Rest in God (Hebrews 4:9–10) | Schedule phone-free hours for rest and worship |
In Christ,
Godwin.
