Is Your Soul Devoted or Distracted?
When 93% of our free time is lost to screens, how do we learn to sit at the feet of Jesus?
As we come out of summer, life seems to quicken again. Some of us return from holidays refreshed, others have spent the past weeks parenting full-time, and for many, September feels like a gear shift into busier routines. The question is: as our schedules speed up, how do we ensure our souls don’t fall behind?
At the start of the year, my wife Sophie and I began intentionally removing distractions through 21 days of prayer and fasting. That meant stepping away from social media, eating healthier, exercising, and staying consistent. The results were so impactful that we continued for several months after!
During that time, we noticed a clearer focus, a lighter sense of pressure, deeper presence as a couple and with our children, a healthier relationship with our phone, more time in Scripture, greater effectiveness at work, space to read and grow, and far less intake of toxic or fear-driven content.
Here’s what I’ve learnt:
Our ability to address distractions will determine the health of our souls.
Disconnecting from what weighs us down allows us to reconnect with what fuels and gives life.
Life in Months: A Sobering Picture
The dots on this chart represent an adult life in months (assuming 90 years)…
If you’re 18 today, here’s what you have left:
288 months sleeping, 126 months working or in school, 18 months driving, 36 months cooking and eating, 36 months on chores, 27 months in the bathroom, 312 months in front of a screen.
That leaves 334 months of free time.
This is the space where you live your purpose, pursue your passions, practice your calling, make disciples, and leave your mark. How you spend it will shape your effectiveness, relationships, and eternal impact.
But here’s the reality:
The average 18-year-old is expected to spend 93% of their free time on a screen.
That’s 26 years of scrolling and binging.
I was shocked when I first saw this, and the truth still echoes today. It should serve as an adrenaline shot to the arm.
I wonder if this is what Paul meant when he said, “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received”?
Because I certainly don’t believe it’s what Jesus meant when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Perhaps the question is not whether we are distracted, but just how distracted we really are.
Martha, Mary, and the Necessary Thing
Luke 10:38-42 (ESV) tells the story:
Martha welcomed Jesus into her home.
Mary sat at His feet and listened.
But Martha was distracted with much serving.
Jesus said: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion.”
There was a connection between Martha’s distraction and her anxiousness. Whereas Mary was experiencing something different.
Jesus chose to declare in a home- not on a mountaintop- that only one thing is necessary. It’s as if He is handing us the keys to a healthy soul.
The Battle for Attention
A content-consumed soul is a distracted soul.
A distracted soul is an unhealthy soul.
An unhealthy soul is an ineffective soul.
Like Martha, we too are pulled away by busyness. And the battle continues today: distraction calls loudly, pulling us away from the good portion.
But devotion looks different.
Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. She chose presence over performance. Simplicity over striving. And Jesus said it was the only necessary thing.
Distraction strives whilst devotion sits.
The Cost of Distraction
More people in the world own a phone than a toothbrush
We check our phones 81,000 times a year
During this message alone, you may be tempted to check 12 times
The average person spends 5 hours a day on social media
71% check apps before opening the Bible
On average, we receive 146 notifications daily—one every 10 minutes
Studies link heavy digital use to anxiety, depression, and impulsivity
Our pockets have become weapons of mass distraction.
The enemy loves distraction, because distraction is the enemy of discipleship, healthy souls, and attentive homes.
Redeeming the Time
Ephesians 5:16 urges us:
“Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days.”
We need to cut distractions to recalibrate our connection with God and our commission to the world.
The good portion is simple: to know God and be known by Him.
Genesis 2:7 reminds us that God breathed His divine breath (neshamah) into dust, and man became a living soul (nefesh). Every breath we take echoes that first breath of life. Our souls can only be replenished by returning to Him.
Breaking the Cycle of Distraction
The cycle looks like this:
Feel empty → seek a dopamine hit → get distracted → consume content → feel empty again.
So what do we need to do? Break the cycle!
How can you break the cycle today?
Step into nature
Invest in real relationships
Lead by example
Set boundaries with content
Stay accountable with trusted friends
We need to be present, in His Presence.
Mary understood this: she chose to sit with Jesus. And that was enough.
Wisdom to Digest
Your soul will either be devoted or distracted.
Distraction pulls us from the good portion. Devotion sits at His feet.
The question remains:
When Jesus comes knocking, will He find you present in His presence?