We relied on technology to help us during the COVID pandemic. Churches scrambled and soon were streaming services and doing their best to maintain community. Students attended school online. We relied on technology to keep connected and try to maintain friendships. Technology helped us survive the long days of isolation.
We relied on our phones and technology to keep us informed, distracted, and entertained. New habits and routines were formed that centered our lives around technology. While the extreme isolation and uncertainty of COVID fade, habits and coping methods we learned during COVID continue to impact our daily lives. Many are discovering their new technology habits are now harming their relationships, productivity, and Christian walk.
Paul wrote a letter to one of the most sophisticated audiences of his time. His audience lived on the front edge of science, technology, communication, and entertainment. The Romans weren’t satisfied, and they craved personal and national power. To this audience, Paul writes in Romans 12:2 (NIV): “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.” Paul tells them to not follow the pattern of this world but instead begin a transformation, specifically in how to think and relate to the world.
Our brains like patterns. During school assemblies in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, I shared a series of questions, images, and activities with teens that demonstrated how easily our brains could reach wrong conclusions. It’s fun to get a big group to yell “carrot” simultaneously (it’s hard to explain unless you were there). Yet, it’s also alarming to realize we aren’t as logical as we think. Multiple studies show that human beings are easily manipulated and predictably irrational.
The thought patterns used by the world are easy to observe. If it feels good, do it more. If it hurts, stop. And always look out for yourself. Our brains are very complex. Functional MRI (fMRI) has allowed scientists to identify functions in different areas of our brain by observing changes in blood flow and oxygen activity in real-time. It is a glimpse into the human brain and its responses.
Our brains can quickly react to signals from within our bodies and our environment. We react to fear through our brain’s threat responses: fight, flight, and freeze. The threat doesn’t have to be real for our brain to respond. For example, if you are afraid of snakes and walking outside in the dark, simply stepping on a garden hose will send you into an adrenaline-fueled panic. When we aren’t avoiding fear, we are seeking pleasure. We crave pleasure and aren’t satisfied until we have more.
Patterns always produce the same result. If you follow a pattern while making a shirt, you’d expect a shirt, not a pair of pants. If you follow a recipe for cookies, you’d be stunned if you ended up with bread. The world’s pattern of thinking produces the same result: brokenness. Our reactions hurt people. We damage ourselves. We miss out on God’s grace and blessings with our relentless chase for self-sufficiency.
This isn’t a new pattern, but we are living in an age where we can quickly pursue our worst cravings, many times using a device that’s small enough to fit in our pocket but has immense power over our daily lives.
Beginning in 2011, studies show a steep increase in depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts for teens living in developed countries. This is the same timeframe when more than 50 percent of teens now own a smartphone.
Since 1984, Project Patch has been helping teens and families struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges. We’ve always been busy, even before the internet, mobile phones, or social media, which didn’t exist when we started. Teens were struggling with depression, anxiety, and anger. They were chasing after alcohol, drugs, and sexualized relationships. It’s never been easy to grow up, and it’s never been easy to be a parent. Yet, in the past ten years, we’ve seen a massive spike in teen depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and addiction.
The teen mental health crisis has impacted churches, schools, and homes. Years of effectively helping teens gave us insight and tools that we are spreading to schools, churches, and communities in the United States and now Australia. We know teens struggle, and parents, teachers, and churches want to help, but many do not know how.
Technology addiction is a pervasive challenge. It can include unhealthy dependence on social media, compulsive video game use, and pornography addiction. These are behaviors that happen when we follow the pattern of this world.
The good news is that Paul also writes in Romans 12:2 about a “renewal” of the mind. The renewal process is at the heart of the ministry of Project Patch. Renewed minds can discern God’s perfect and pleasing will and navigate living in this world in a way that doesn’t harm ourselves or the people we care about.
During presentations at schools and Victorian Big Camp, the focus was on discovering how God wants to renew our brains. The heart of the message is the great commandment, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37–39 (NIV). This is the opposite of the pattern of this world. It’s easier said than done because our habits are powerful, and we are easily manipulated. It requires remaining connected to God, practising small acts of love and selflessness, and accepting His grace, love, and Holy Spirit.
God calls us to repentance, to stop our negative behaviors, turn to Him and begin the process of moving closer to Him. Rather than focus on abstinence, recovery is an active process of moving toward the abundant life God wants for us. We give up our control to allow Him to rule our lives and He “satisfies our desires with good things” (Psalm 103:5, NIV).
This is a critical time for us to rely on God to transform our minds and to respond in love to a world that is desperate for freedom and God’s faithful love.
Life Ready Kids and Project Patch is in alliance with the company Design By Nature Health Foods Pty Ltd, who are giving back to the community by sponsoring “Life Ready Kids,” a 12-part video series resource to support parents raising kids who own technology rather than being slaves to their devices. Parents interested in taking the next step can discover more at www.lifereadykidstv.com
A brand new series has been filmed for kids ages 8–12 called Life Ready Kids: Tough Topics. This web series includes topics such as anger, jealousy, loneliness, sadness, bad habits, and more. Kids learn to respond to their emotions appropriately, using tools to meet their threats. This series should be available on its website soon. If you would like to receive an e-newsletter for resources and tips write to [email protected]
Chuck Hagele
Life Ready Kids