Stop and Smell the Roses

Okay folks, so let's just face the fact right off the top: today's society is OBSESSED with technology.

Blackberrys, iPhones, Droids, texts, phone calls, emails, twitters (or tweets? I'm not into all that twitter nonsense...), notes, wall posts, instant messages, Skype, ooVoo, and yes, even blogs...we're immersed in a world of constant communication and connection with anyone we want, anywhere in the world.

We even have such things as 24-hour news stations where you can turn your television on at 4am (Lord knows I don't know why you'd want to watch news at 4am, but hey, to each his own) and find out what's going on in the world!

And this can be a good thing!

First obvious pro about technology is, its EASY. Let's be real, we all like things to be easy. No person in their right mind, given the choice between two options, will choose one because it's hard. We like easy. Second, it's convenient! You can access pretty much any information you want, whenever you want it. You can contact whomever you want, whenever you want them. And third, you can be in constant communication with people who you just can't go five minutes without talking to them.

But the con list...oooh boy the con list is HUGE in comparison.

And mostly I'm speaking to the ladies out there in blog land...show of hands, how many of us have our phones within a one foot radius of ourselves at all times? (*I'm raising my hand proudly*) And some of you gentlemen, you are guilty of this too, you're not getting away that easily. Here's a few phrases from my con list that I made: too easy, no excitement, become too dependent, constant worry, become consumed. How many of you know exactly what I'm talking about?

I think many of you would agree with me that technology has ruined dating. Imagine how exciting and thrilling dating would be if you had to wait around for a letter from your love, because it was your only form of communication? Or how excited would you be if after a month of not seeing your love, you see them riding up to your house in their carriage that they rode in for a week to see you? My heart is pounding just thinking about it. Instead, we have cell phones and text messages that if they aren't responded to instantly, the other person is rude or inconsiderate. You sit around all day consumed with worry about WHY DIDNT THEY TEXT ME BACK?! DONT THEY WAAAANT TO TALK TO ME?!?! Let's face it girls, how many of us need to check into "text rehab" for a little while? I think it'd do many of us a world of good.

I can't tell you how good it feels sometimes to just turn my phone off, and to know that if someone wants to find me, they can't! I like taking time to stop and smell the roses. You should try it. It's pretty freeing.

On a larger scale, our obsession with technology is basically a need for instant gratification. If we text someone, we expect an answer. If we call someone, we expect a return call immediately. If we don't get this instant gratification, the other person is rude or inconsiderate or doesn't like us, etc etc etc.

I think this problem with a need for instant gratification goes way bigger than in the technology aspect, though. I think we can see this problem in our spiritual lives also. When we pray, it's like we are making a phone call up to God, expecting an answer right away. And if we don't hear from Him that second, He has forgotten about us. He doesn't love us enough. This couldn't be farther from the truth. The Bible says that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Why do we always want an instant answer right away? Because that's easy. Waiting for God's timing isn't easy.

But God even tells us not to worry! In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 25, it says:

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So in this world of constant communication and instant gratification, take a pause. Breathe. Put the cell phone away. Say a prayer, and leave it be. Take time to stop and smell the roses. They smell really good if we actually pay attention to them :)