Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
      • Dear Friend in Christ
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to WELCA Blog

Constantly distracted
by Guest blogger

12.16.2013
|
Post

8583949219_f55657573e_nQuiet down before God, be prayerful before God. (Psalm 37:7, The Message)

The time of Advent reminds me to wait, wait, wait. Yet my social-media habit encourages me to hurry, hurry, hurry. This December I’ve found these modes–of waiting and of hurrying–are at odds. While I am happy to be connected to so many friends and family through social media, I fear my round-the-clock digital connectedness is distracting me from a deeper relationship with the people in my life and with God.

I am connected to friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, email, and texting, so I am never alone. I am beginning to wonder if this constant social media chatter is drowning out my ability to listen to the “still, small voice” of God, which may require solitude and communion. For example, during Advent, in years past, I would attend a Wednesday night Space for Grace candlelight service. Now I do Advent by scanning devotional emails on my smart phone as I walk to work from the subway.

It’s worth considering that if I detach from my smart phone and all the tangles of social media, I might notice the Christmas lights, the beautiful diversity of New York’s people, and the wonders of the season. I might begin to anticipate the birth of Christ. I might duck back into church for candlelight and quiet.

Away from the immediate gratification of Facebook and Twitter, I might regain a healthy solitude to feed my soul. How do social media impact my soul? “Does it (digital media) grow your soul?” asked William Powers, author of Hamlet’s Blackberry,who paraphrased Kurt Vonnegut’s favorite question. I am not sure.

Mary Coudal is a writer living in New York City. This is part one of a two-part reflection on slowing down and quieting social media chatter.

+++++

Photo by Jason Howie. Used with permission.

Share
No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Categories

  • Post (1,256)
  • News (295)
    • Gathering 2021 (9)
    • Triennial Convention 2021 (7)
  • Devotions (76)
  • 2122 (3)
  • Uncategorized (2)
Women of the ELCA
17h
Women of the ELCA
@WomenoftheELCA

Happy birthday, Katharina von Bora Luther! 🎉⭐️🎂 From "A Bold Life of Faith: Katharina von Bora Luther" by Linda Post Bushkofsky, A resource from Women of the ELCA, 2009. womenoftheelca.org/filebin/pd… #KatiesBirthday #2122KatiesFund #KatharinavonBoraLutherwasborntoday #Jan29 pic.twitter.com/fC9yD265al

Expand reply reply retweet retweet favorite favorite
Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2023 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.