Biola students rush past the library between classes. | Tomber Su/THE CHIMES [file photo]
Is the small time we spend with God a result of our fast-paced lives? And is that OK? These are questions I have recently been considering. During Missions Conference, I was essentially forced to spend a lot of time with God, and doing that made me consider how little time I do spend with God on a daily basis. In this article, I want to examine the difference in how people pray to God now, compared with how they prayed to God 100 years ago.
SPENDING TIME WITH GOD
According to the video, “40 Million Minutes,” the average Christian spends fewer than 10 minutes in prayer per day. This adds up to fewer than six hours a month, three days a year and seven months in a lifetime. Instead of praying, we find ourselves constantly in front of a screen. While I usually like to pray before falling asleep, I sometimes excuse myself from it because I am “too tired” — even though I may have spent 30 minutes watching a television show right before.
Our attention deficit disorder cultural mentality should not remove us from the sphere of God, however. Paul says in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” When we place our interest in electronic devices, we ignore Paul’s admonition to “not be conformed to this world.”
Yes, there were fewer distractions 100 years ago in a person’s household. There were no iPhones vibrating in people’s pockets. There were no television shows for people to watch. There were no computers with internet access to Facebook, Pinterest and Craigslist. Because few people had cars, people had to plan their days with more precision — they couldn’t simply drive to the mall if they were bored. With fewer opportunities for entertainment, work and transportation, they had slower paced lives. Furthermore, people who lived during the early 1900s had more time to reflect on who God was because they were less tempted by these previously mentioned distractions.
HISTORY OF DISTRACTION
Then again, maybe humans have been distracted from God for longer than the past 100 years. The Industrial Revolution started in 1760, after all. Perhaps humans are just bad at remembering to spend time with God.
Regardless of how difficult it is to devote time to God today, it is vital that we do it. We don’t have to do it alone, either. For those of us lucky enough to grow up in a Christian family, our grandparents can be a role-models for us. I am always encouraged when I visit my grandparents because their favorite question is, “How can we pray for you?” They are always thinking about me, and praying that I will remain resolute in my faith.
I hope I can say the same thing to my grandchildren some day.
