Romans 12:1-2
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our two verses for the series remind us of the importance of living intentionally in a fast-paced world of screens and constant distractions. The author of the book of Romans is urging us to not just allow ourselves to be blindly conformed to the pattern of this world. The antidote to being conformed is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Transformation doesn’t happen when we try to change our behavior through our willpower, guilt, or shame, but rather, it is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christ-follower. As we spend time in the presence of the Lord, renewing our minds with truth from His Word, the Holy Spirit will begin to transform us. It’s a process that only happens when we proactively set boundaries in our lives that will allow our theology to outdistance our technology.
What are some practical ways you can become more intentional about powering down your technology to power up the transforming work of the Spirit in your life? Aaron gave us seven ideas for how we might power down (digital detox, remove screens from dinner tables and bedrooms, make a fully present box, turn off notifications, use do not disturb more, time limits on apps, commit to decreasing screen time by a certain percentage). Pick one or two with the purpose of allowing space for the work of transformation in your life. Share those boundaries you’ve set with your group this week.