We’re going through a series at church loosely based off of the book Weird by Craig Groeschel. This week we talked about the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis.
Esau sold his inheritance to his brother for a bowl of soup. Focusing on the immediate rather than holding out for the better in the future.
At the end we were challenged to think of our own bowl of soup. What are we settling for now that is ultimately sacrificing God’s best for us?
My bowl of soup is Twitter and Instagram. As silly as that sounds I find myself scrolling through those programs connecting with friends when I have an extra five minutes throughout the day.
God is asking me to limit this. I need to spend those extra minutes investing in my kids rather than staring at a screen. If I added it up there’s probably at least 30-45 minutes a day that I could connect with my kids. Joining them in their world and connecting with them. Remembering the question, “What will matter 100 years from now?”
For me, this challenge means I set my phone aside and leave it plugged in the kitchen. (Last month Four Flights of Fancy wrote on how she took different social media off of her phone.) When at home I’m no longer wireless. The inconvenience slows me down. Only allowing myself to check in a few times a day.
I have another “bowl of soup” to share another day.
So to take Paul’s question and bring it here, what’s your bowl of soup? What do you need to give up in the immediate to hold out for God’s best in the future?
I'm Virginia & so glad you're here! You'll find me writing about my not-so-perfect journey with my faith, family, life and home. Stick around, comment and join the conversations.
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This is good.
It’s hard - I have friends on Instagram that I have a hard time keeping up with their blogs, so I still am checking in. Just not as often. Glad you liked it. I did too.
I have been challenged with the same thing. I pop in on FB and my blog. See if any new comments were posted. Did anyone else write a new post?
I have been giving myself limits. A certain window of time, and then I am off. To read, to hang with my kids. It is so important. Social Media is so NOT important.
So true! Glad you’re limiting yourself as well. My husband and I were talking about finances with this as well. Not taking a weekend trip so our week trip in the fall we could do something extra.
I go through phases of being on a lot and then I’ll get burnt out and unplug for a bit. I try to autotweet on the weekends and I stay pretty much offline on Saturday/Sunday but I do find myself checking and scrolling through instagram because it’s so fast. I think my ‘bowl’ would be spending. I have a hard time with big picture and find myself buying little things a long the way that don’t amount to much. I’m way too impulsive that way. Thinking of going on another ‘spending fast’ to refocus my priorities. Thanks for the reminder to think about these things when we feel conviction.
So true Alia, spending can be difficult and adds up fast! We’re moving to the cash/envelope system so we can watch the little amounts that trickle out of our pocket books. I need to get into auto-tweet just a bit.