Recently, I watched an episode of Deep Questions, a podcast by Dr. Cal Newport, titled “The Real Reason You Can’t Put Down Your Phone (And What To Do About It)” (Episode 374). Dr. Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University and a columnist for The New Yorker, has written extensively about how our digital habits shape our lives. In his book Digital Minimalism, he suggests that our relationship with technology is not neutral—it forms us in ways we may not fully realize. 

One study I read says the average person picks up their smartphone 144 times a day. That number sounds high until we start paying attention: every time we feel a moment of silence, every time we wait in line, every quiet pause in a conversation—we reach. Scroll. Swipe. Refresh. I recently sat in a doctor’s waiting room and realized every single person in the room was on their phone. No one spoke. No one looked around. No one simply waited. I was determined to resist picking up my phone and instead meditated on the paintings on the walls and actually nodded off! We have reached a point where we can no longer just be. 

But this isn’t just a cultural shift—it’s a spiritual challenge. Dr. Newport explains that modern smart phones and apps are engineered to hijack our brain’s reward systems. Companies design them to keep us engaged because our attention is their product. The result? We now struggle to be still, to think deeply, to rest, to hear anything other than the noise constantly fed to us. 

Yet Scripture invites us to a different way of life: 

• “Be still, and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10 

• “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15 

• “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” – Ps. 23:2–3 

Stillness is not laziness. Silence is not empty. Waiting isn’t wasting time. These are sacred spaces where God speaks, refreshes, heals, and forms us. But if our souls are constantly distracted, how will we ever hear Him? 

The truth is, we have lost the ability to be bored. And boredom, according to Dr. Newport, isn’t the enemy—it is the doorway to creativity, prayer, and reflection. It is in those quiet spaces that thoughts rise, hearts open, and God draws near. 

So, what can we do? 

Here are a few simple practices to try this week: 

• Create phone-free moments: Leave your phone in another room during meals or conversations. 

• Practice Sabbath from screens: Choose one evening a week as a “tech-free” night. 

• Replace reaching with resting: Every time you feel the urge to check your phone, turn that moment into a short breath prayer. 

• Fill your life with meaning, not noise: Read Scripture. Sit in silence. Go for a walk. Journal. Be fully present. 

I am convinced that one of the greatest acts of discipleship today is the choice to reclaim our attention for God. To be still. To listen. To live unhurried. Because God still speaks—but we must quiet the noise long enough to hear His voice. 

Let us become a people who do not reach first for our phones, but reach first for the presence of God. 

Blessings,