Nomophobia

GOD’S WORD: “What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, the molded image, a teacher of lies, that the maker of its mold should trust in it, to make mute idols?” – Habakkuk 2:18

By Glenn Miller

One morning during our Promise Principles group, my friend Mark introduced us to a new term: NOMOPHOBIA. The term NOMOPHOBIA or NO MObile PHone PhoBIA is used to describe a psychological condition when people have a fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity.

As a society, we’ve become dependent, nay addicted to these devices. They provide instant access to others and immediate access to knowledge. They are, in the words of Habakkuk, “a molded image” in which we place our trust and provision of peace. Technology is not a bad thing and I’m certainly an advocate of it when it makes our lives simpler. But when our dependance gets out of balance and we have more anxiety about leaving our homes without our cell phones than we do without the presence of the Holy Spirit or the full armor of God (Eph. 6), then our values are out of balance.

And like Habakkuk, we need to be aware of what the Lord says about placing our comfort and peace on molded images. God is a jealous God and doesn’t want anything, including technology, above Him as our source of peace and security. In fact, He has given us His HOLY SPIRIT to give us everything and more than the best iPhone can ever provide.

Maybe it’s time to heed what God told Habakkuk: “The Lord is in His Holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence [listening for and depending solely on Him for all we need] before Him.” (Hab. 2:20)