Addicted to the News? Seek Wisdom Instead
Are you addicted to the 24-hour news cycle? Many people are, and many Christians are.
The knowledge of fleeting events has no currency or value in our lives. For most, it contributes to an ongoing cycle of anxiety and depression.
The News is knowledge. Knowledge puffs us up (1 Corinthians 8:1).
What we all need is wisdom, not knowledge.
We live in a time in which we are drowning in information and knowledge and we are more confused and conflicted now then ever before. What we need is wisdom.
As you can see from the news there are many smart people with lots of knowledge that are very unwise. By contrast, there are many uneducated people who are very wise. At the end of the day, wisdom will always win over knowledge.
Wisdom is good judgment to do what is right in God's eyes.
One way to test what you are watching is to ask yourself is this information helping you to gain wisdom or is it puffing up your knowledge. Is it contributing to your inability to know right from wrong?
Self - Control and Wisdom
Along with wisdom you need to have self-control.
Your smartphone is highly addictive as are the social media platforms. You know this. Do you have the unhealthy habit of checking your smartphone every few minutes? Our self-control is needed in all areas of life.
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:23
As Christians, we should never be addicted to the news.
The News is of the world, filled with sin, immorality, and all the worst of human attributes. There is nothing wrong with keeping informed but we must not let it become an obsession.
Discernment Required
The news comes to us as breaking, urgent you must stop and watch this.
The reality is nothing you see on the daily news is urgent or necessary. As a Christian, you have a peace that goes beyond the cares and catastrophes of our world.
Do you need to watch the latest list of murders or other sinful acts of men? Natural disasters never cease. What will this information do for your soul?
The news we watch is by people with a natural worldview who think little of God. Reality is distorted by the news. Mainstream news is also biased against Christianity and God. We need to use discernment when we watch the news.
Avoid Rabbit Holes
"But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless." Titus 3:9
Are you down a rabbit hole right now?
Many Christians instead of working at helping others, reading scripture, or praying are going down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories and propaganda of radical fringe groups.
The reality is we make ourselves anxious by listening to too much news. Scripture counsels against a fearfulness that makes us doubt the sovereign care of our Lord.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
Today’s political analysis is characterized by vindictive, hurtful, abusive words and ideas that can corrupt our own attitudes.
Guard Your Heart
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:23
You must make the decisions to not watch the news and to spend the precious little time you have helping others and serving our Lord in some way.
If you are watching too much news too much news. Develop wisdom along with self-control and discernment. Be aware of worldly biases that corrupt your thoughts. this may help you avoid unnecessary anxiety.
“Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).
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