In yesterday's devotional, I wrote about being disconnected from the Internet and waiting for a new power cord for my modem to be shipped to me.

"I am finally back online, since last Thursday!" This was the beginning sentence in my e-mail message to my friends. "I wonder what people ever did before the Internet?" I added as an afterthought.

Some of the replies that I received were "Glad to have you back!" and "Welcome back from the Stone Age!" But the one that stayed with me was when my friend, Peggy, sent me the following reply:

Read, walk, cook, sit at a table to eat, visit family, meet others for coffee, ponder life, write letters, speak in full sentences, use punctuation, think before you speak, play board games with grandchildren, bake cookies, sew doll dresses, weed the garden, send Christmas cards and birthday cards, keep a journal for your family to find in the attic after you die and rejoice over the wonderful gift you left them!

As I pondered those wonderful ideas, I had to agree that I was spending too much time on the Internet and not enough time on things that really matter — things that nourish us and feed us spiritually. Don't get me wrong, the Internet can be a source of inspiration and knowledge, but it can also become a burden and an addiction.

Sometimes, God allows breakdowns, like a defective power cord, to disrupt our lives, in order for us to realize and be reminded that there are more important things in our lives that need attention, like reading the Bible, going for a walk and thanking God for the beautiful world that we live in, visiting a friend in the hospital and staying for awhile, or taking the time to play with the grandchildren.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 – Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! (NASB)

Prayer: Father in heaven, sometimes You allow things to happen in our lives to show us what needs to be changed within us. Help us to take time to read, to walk, to cook for our families, to sit at the table and give thanks for all that we have, to play with our children or grandchildren, to visit someone in the hospital, or to write a letter. Thank You, Father, for being with us and showing us that You care. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Rosemary Hagedorn <rosyhagedorn@gmail.com>
Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
Send your feedback to the author