Digital Fast
Why a Digital Fast?
Lent is a significant time in the Christian liturgical calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, this is an opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds as we fix our eyes on Jesus through the practice of fasting. One way we can enter into this practice is through a digital fast—a season of intentionally stepping back from our digital devices.
As we abstain from media, this Digital Fast is meant to help us silence the noise and distractions of our digital devices so that we can pursue greater intimacy with Jesus. The result is to help move our spirituality from something we think about to something we embody. Moreover, this fast is meant to reset our nervous system, bring greater awareness to how we relate to our digital devices, and become more present to God and to those around us.
Why do we fast during Lent?
Fasting is a meaningful practice throughout the year, and at Reality, we encourage our church to fast once a week. Lent is a particularly special season in which we are unified with other Christians around the world and across time to practice fasting together.
How to participate in this Digital Fast
We encourage you to prayerfully consider participating in one of the two fasting options: a full digital fast or a modified fast. No matter the option chosen, we believe this practice can be life-giving during the season of Lent.
Option 1: Full Digital Fast
This option involves eliminating screens for personal use and enjoyment and embracing your device purely as a tool for utility. Commit to staying off social media, shopping apps, and any other digital entertainment that distracts you.
- Audit smartphone apps. Remove any apps that are distracting, using the question: “Is this distracting (or supposed to distract) or is this something useful?”
- Examples of distracting apps include email, social media, news apps, games, video, shopping apps, and browser.
- Useful apps could include phone, text, calendar, airline apps, camera, and weather.
- Eliminate screens for entertainment and enjoyment. This includes gaming devices, streaming services, cable television, etc.
- Limit digital technology to work apps during work hours on work devices. Commit to no work outside of work hours.
Option 2: Modified Digital Fast
In this modified version, there is freedom to adjust the parameters of this fast.
- Audit smartphone apps. Consider limiting the days you use certain apps or choosing a select number of apps to keep. We strongly encourage picking at least a few distracting and time-consuming apps to abstain from during Lent. Use the question: “Is this distracting or is this something useful?” Remove any apps that are distracting.
- Create limits for digital entertainment on any device. Fast from other entertainment through digital technology (such as TV) for a specific number of days during the week.
- Limit digital technology to work apps during work hours on work devices. Commit to no work outside of work hours.
Engaging with the Digital Fast
As you engage with this fast, it is normal for it to feel difficult at first. This is a kind of detox, and it can impact the nervous system.
As you are tempted to grab your phone to scroll on social media, turn on the TV, or check email, consider redirecting your attention toward Jesus. (We have prepared a list of resources below.)
The season of Lent uniquely invites us to properly engage in the practice of fasting by incorporating the other practices of prayer, Scripture reading, and almsgiving.
Prayer
Recite this prayer in moments where the practice of fasting proves difficult.
Redirect my wandering attention to You, God, even in my distraction and discomfort. Usher me into the peace of Your presence, to be truly known, fed, and satisfied. Heavenly Father, as I disconnect from my device, help me to reconnect with the people in my life.
In these quiet moments away from the world’s noise, Lord, I seek Your presence. As I draw nearer, let Your love and wisdom fill my heart, guiding my thoughts, words, and actions. In this renewal, help me to see Your hand in all things and to walk more closely with You each day.
Lord, I confess my need for distraction, entertainment, and my tendency to avoid my feelings, and even You. Jesus, be with me in this moment, and strengthen my spirit, so I may stay present with You. You alone truly satisfy my soul.
Help me, Lord, as I feel the need for distraction found on my phone and social media. Anxiety, fear, and busyness rob me of my true identity and the peace that comes from You alone. Help me turn my attention to You, Lord, to satisfy my desires.
BREAD Reading Guide
Turn to Scripture throughout the season of Lent. Our BREAD Reading Guide offers curated passages that follow the liturgical year. Each day’s readings are meant to give encouragement, hope, and wisdom as you fast.
We recommend following Reality’s BREAD reading plan or choosing passages that help you stay attentive to God during this season.
Almsgiving
When reaching for your phone or tablet, consider the cost—and consider giving alms.
In addition to fasting, Lent invites us into generosity through the giving of alms (donating to the poor). Almsgiving helps us move beyond self-denial (an inward practice) and toward tangible love for our neighbors (an outward practice).
Consider what it looks like to both withhold (fast) and give generously (almsgiving) through these next forty days.
How to Prepare
As you prepare for a digital fast during Lent, consider these best practices:
- Find a few people who are also fasting and establish a regular rhythm of check-ins.
- Keep this question in mind: What do I want to learn about myself and God during these forty days?
- Change your phone settings to grayscale. It will make the phone less visually enticing.
- Turn off notifications on your phone.
- Consider using an alarm clock instead of your phone to wake up.
- Talk with your work teams and supervisor about your hope to disengage from work and technology during non-working hours.
- Consider simplifying your technology, such as using a more utility-oriented phone like a Light Phone.
- Check out the resources below for more recommended reading around fasting.
Resources
Below are helpful resources meant to aid and encourage in the fasting journey:
- Darren Whitehead, Digital Detox. Our Digital Fast is adapted from this book. We encourage you to learn more through this great resource.
- Guide for Observing Lent for more information on Lent.
- Fasting & Prayer Focus for some extra encouragement and prompts to help guide your time.
- Watch this invitational video from our previous all-church digital fast.