Okay, so I posted on Facebook about how a friend responded when I told her that for three days I was going “off-line” and taking a ‘technology fast’ while attending the True Woman ’10 conference in Indianapolis this week starting Thursday.  She gasped and said she would rather go without food for three days than her computer!

We’ll, I’ll confess. This is going to stretch me as I’m blogging now and so much is going on in ministry. When I attended this conference two years ago – they challenged us to a technology fast. At that time I had no internet on my phone and no laptop.  Easy as pie.  In 2009, I did a similar fast at a prayer retreat.  Computers were available and others would say, “Why don’t you go on-line? Check Facebook? It won’t hurt anything!”  Ah, the voice of temptation can be sooo sweet!  However, I had determined that my time at that retreat was to seek God – not others – and I stuck to it and to be honest – didn’t really miss it.

I have work that I know I will want to do for which a computer would be beneficial.  So I have to trust God that being off-line for three days will not hinder that.  He is in control of it all anyway.  Emails will wait.  Facebook, well, I love connecting with people there and encouraging them, and I get the best updates on news that way . . . (If it’s not reported on Facebook – it really didn’t happen), but life will go on if I’m not there.  If you desperately need to call or text – I’ll still have my phone, but I’ll be busy and won’t be checking it too often.  Just sayin’ that if it’s not an emergency – don’t bother.

So why torture myself like this?  Well, honestly, while I kind of dread it and will leave the laptop at home to minimize the temptation, I have learned from experience that when I truly am going someplace to seek God and hear His voice, then I had better get rid of some of the “noise” in my life.  I’ll have my journal. I can still write and jot down ideas or simply pray.  I’ll walk away from any pressure to create or learn anything other than what it is HE longs to show me.

I have some ministry and life issues where I really do need to hear from God. I have some “out of the box” problems that have no clear cut answers and I need direction.  More than anything, I want a revival in my heart for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As much as I love ministry and people and writing – to have time where HE is my sole focus – is good, and necessary.  It will make three days without being on-line so worth it. I may be “unplugging” from technology – but “plugging in” to the best power source available.  Not a bad trade off.

So, if you had to, could you go three days without internet?  Even on your cell phone?  Voluntarily?  Have you ever fasted from anything in order to seek God more fully?