Wife and I resisted iPhone, but bought two; returned them; now ubiquitous; need solitude, silence, privacy; cultivate four steps to solitude.
My wife and I experienced first-hand the impact of the iPhone when we entered an AT&T store in Fort Worth, Texas in 2007. We were looking to replace our old cell phones, but the sales staff were so persuasive that we left with two brand new iPhones. However, we soon found that we didn’t like them, as they seemed to have too many functions. We returned our smart phones the next day for a couple of reliable dumb phones.
The iPhone has become ubiquitous since its launch in 2007, and it has changed the way we live. C.S. Lewis wrote in 1945 that “we live in a world starved for solitude, silence and privacy.” What would he think today, with the constant barrage of social media and other distractions that come with smartphones?
Christian writers of the past have outlined two interconnected principles for true wisdom: the knowledge of God and the knowledge of self. But, with the unguarded use of smartphones, solitude and true community are becoming harder to find. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that one cannot rightly have one without the other: “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.”
Richard Foster outlined four steps to pursuing the spiritual discipline of solitude: taking advantage of ‘little solitudes’, finding a quiet place and time to spend with God, speaking fewer but fuller words, and taking time away from everything to pray and examine goals in life. However, with the right attitude, it is possible to develop a spirit of solitude even on days filled with noise and distraction.
My wife and I eventually caved in 2013, trading our dumb phones for smart phones. We should all take the time to consider how best to use our phones and other devices in a way that allows us to pursue solitude and true community. Then, we can use them to draw closer to God and to each other.
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