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I’ve recently noticed a trend in our society. No, replace the word “trend” with “addiction”. We have an addiction to multitasking.

Multitasking has become the norm. Long gone are the days of giving undivided attention to what, or WHO, is in front of us. Now we’re in twenty different places at once: scrolling social media, listening to a podcast, checking off a myriad of “to do” list items… all the while feeling very accomplished. Multitasking has become a trophy in modern society.

We no longer just go for a walk. Now we count steps while listening to a podcast. Bonus points for answering a couple of emails along the way. Technology and the general world have become so focused on multitasking, it’s rare to live in the moment.

There’s a custom in Italy where people visit their local cafe for a coffee each morning. However, coffee drinkers must NEVER be on their phone, browsing the newspaper or reading a book. They must NEVER busy themselves “doing something”, only sit in the moment and enjoy their cup of coffee.

I recently heard an interview with a successful athlete who moved to Italy for six months. He said this practice changed his view of life. He’d never experienced a culture that prioritised living in the moment rather than making the most of every moment.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with multitasking. It’s an excellent skill and can help us accomplish more for God. Multitasking is great if you choose when and where to do it. But if you MUST multitask all the time, something’s not right. If you can’t sit still and drink a coffee because you feel it’s a waste of your time, that’s a problem. If doing “one thing” isn’t enough, you need to examine your priorities.

I’ve been thinking about this significant shift in our society and how easy it is for us to take that mindset into our walk with God.

While reading my Bible, I have my “to do” list open beside me so I can jot down any tasks that come to mind. I’m also listening out for my mobile to ding with an awaited reply. Other tasks come to mind, and I realise I can pray whilst I’m walking the dog… because I need to do that today. Oh, and I might listen to the audio Bible while I make the beds.

I unconsciously adjust to “make good use of my time”.

No longer is having time with the Lord enough. I also need to be productive.

It saddens me when I’m at a restaurant and see a table of people glued to their phones. I see parents scrolling their phones, completely oblivious to what their child is doing or saying. I see a couple on a date night, yet they’re both more connected with their friends on social media than the person sitting opposite. They’re with the other person, yet they’re not connected.

Often these people leave the table believing they’ve enjoyed quality time with the other person, yet I know they haven’t. The parent missed many sweet moments of their child pulling a face or humming a little tune. They missed the subtle moments because of the distraction of their screen. Yes, they heard the conversation, and they looked up when their child screamed, but they missed the small moments.

We can do the same with God.

If we’re distracted in His presence, we might still hear His big, thunderous voice, but we’ll miss the still, quiet voice. We’ll miss His whisper if He’s fighting over the sound of our multitasking.

 

So, I have two challenges for you this month:

  • Find a moment each day to share “fully connected” time with God.

You might schedule in an hour. If you lead a full life juggling a dozen responsibilities, it might be 5 minutes. This isn’t about the amount of time, which differs for every person, but giving God a portion of undistracted, single-focused, one-on-one time. And see how many “quiet whispers” you hear.

  • Stop and look at all the instances you multitask and check the heart behind it.

I often multitask throughout my day, but God has challenged me to check “why” I’m multitasking. Is it because I must do the laundry and realise I can multitask by listening to God’s Word, building my faith while washing clothes?

OR

Is it because I must listen to God’s Word and realise I can multitask, making my time productive by doing the laundry while I listen?

Is my goal to find every opportunity to build my faith? Or to ensure I’m being productive whilst building my faith? Let’s surrender the addiction of multitasking to God and see what He will do with the time we give Him each day.