via TJC
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; The more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes 1:18
Today we can all go online and learn about anything from how to cook, change the breaks on a car, do heart surgery or banking. We have access to more information than any past generation, especially global news feeds which can distract us from how God is working in our families and communities and be a huge source of worry and anxiety. Personally I try to learn about topics so I can make well informed decisions for me and my family but when learning stops being about how I can honor God by using what I know and turns into a pure earthly want to consume facts, that is where I have seen my anxiety increase. I usually start to rely on my own skills more than on God and begin replacing my quiet time with him with the pursuit of more earthly understanding, even if it has no purpose.
I have taken steps recently to have a plan when I interact with streaming platforms, specifically YouTube. Before I start searching, I know what I am looking for and have an idea of what success will look like and how to judge when I have found my answer. I use this plan as a way to limit my exposure to the useless content noise that is generated each day and to not allow myself to remain inactive, scrolling endlessly through videos, generating anxiety. In this way I can continue to build up eternal treasure as a good steward and not waste my time on meaningless worldly discussions.
Daily Battle Order:
Think about the things in your life that you spend time learning about. Do these things cause you anxiety due to time lost on other more important tasks or are your pursuits pulling you away from God? Pray and ask God to direct you to whatever knowledge is useful for your life and to help you steer clear of the distractions.