3 Ways to Pray about Your Phone Use as a Parent

Holly’s essay about video games and Meta’s blessing for a child’s first phone got us thinking about more ways to pray about technology and our families. What would you add to the list to approach our own screen time as parents from a faith perspective?

1. Pray about your own screen time

• What’s bothering you about your phone usage or other screen time lately?
• When do you find yourself turning to screens for positive purposes, and when do you find yourself coping with escapism? How are you modeling phone usage and screen time for your kids?
• How do you imagine God might be inviting you to use technology well in your life and work? 
• What parts of your phone/media habits might you want to ask God’s help to change?

2. Make a list of positive ways you can use your phone for prayer

• Start the day with a prayer app or podcast
• Set daily alarms for prayer times
• Reach out to a friend if you’re struggling & need prayers
• Set yearly reminders to remember family or friends on birthdays or grief anniversaries
• Pray with music
• Try a quick daily journal with your Notes app or take one picture a day that reminds you of God

3. Turn to ancient wisdom: pray with Psalm 91

How do words like look, see, call, or answer ring differently when you pray them about your family’s use of technology?

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
   who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 
will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress;
   my God, in whom I trust.’ 
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
   and from the deadly pestilence; 
he will cover you with his pinions,
   and under his wings you will find refuge;
   his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 
You will not fear the terror of the night,
   or the arrow that flies by day, 
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
   or the destruction that wastes at noonday. 

A thousand may fall at your side,
   ten thousand at your right hand,
   but it will not come near you. 
You will only look with your eyes
   and see the punishment of the wicked. 

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
   the Most High your dwelling-place, 
no evil shall befall you,
   no scourge come near your tent. 

For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways. 
On their hands they will bear you up,
   so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. 
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
   the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. 

Those who love me, I will deliver;
   I will protect those who know my name. 
When they call to me, I will answer them;
   I will be with them in trouble,
   I will rescue them and honor them. 
With long life I will satisfy them,
   and show them my salvation.