Our phones are changing us. That much is clear. Much has been written about how and why this is happening, what cause lies at the root of this cultural pandemic. This is not a post about that.
This is a post about the other side. Our phones are not evil any more than a car is evil; they has no intrinsic goodness or badness to it, which means we can make them work to our benefit. We may even be able to grow spiritually thanks in part to our phones.
Below I've listed 7 iPhone apps (sorry, Android users) that I think, if wielded properly, could be a great source of encouragement for you in your walk with God. Check it.
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Chances are you already have this one anyway, and for good reason. It has all the standard highlighting/bookmark features, as well as a full-screen reading mode. Lately it's been updated to include a social feature that allows you to see what your friends are reading and being impacted by. One particularly underrated feature is the Reading Plan option that keeps you reading through Scripture passages and topics on a regular basis rather than playing Russian Roulette with your trusty NIV. It's the Bible app Jesus would use, so shouldn't you follow suit? ($Free)
The Bible App is great, but it's a bit light in terms of textual exegesis (understanding what the text means). The ESV Study Bible app is like having a bible scholar in your pocket. This one's a paid app, but if that's the only reason you don't buy this app, I think you're making a big mistake. Sometimes I keep this app open when Nate's preaching to help me understand confusing passages. Very clean design features to boot. There's a slimmed-down free version of this too, but even though it's pricey for an app, it's far more accessible and easier to use than the print version. Bite the bullet and press download. ($14.99)
Lift is one of my favorite apps to use. Lift is a habit tracking app that helps to keep track of how often you're practicing the habits you want to develop. Habit formation is one of the hardest movements in the spiritual life, so being able to remember when the last time you took time to pray or practice being silent becomes a great tool as we work to become more Christ-like. I've written about Lift in the past, and I still use it every day. You'll thank me later for this one. ($Free)
"Oh, I'll pray for you about that." How many times do we say that and then completely forget to pray for someone? Prayer Notebook gives you a place to put all those requests. Turn your phone to landscape mode and all your requests essentially become notecards you can shuffle through, distraction free. There's even a small timer in the corner so you know how much time you've spent in prayer. I've been using this more lately and can confidently say it does everything it needs to do. A great addition to your quiet time. ($1.99)
Nate once said there are two types of people: people who know they're messed up, and those who don't. RecoveryBox helps those trying to work through their destructive patterns of behavior in a healthy way. Pick which issue you're wrestling with, then check in every day with how your doing. List your triggers and keep your accountability partners updated on how you're doing. This app is based off of the Celebrate Recovery model of addiction recovery, and it's a great companion app as you're walking the path to freedom. ($1.99)
Scripture memory and mastery is a lost art. Perhaps being increasingly connected to Google or digital copies of scripture has made us lazy. It's time to take back that lost art. BibleMinded allows you to set a daily reminder for you to work on memorizing scripture passages of your choice. They even give you fill in the blank tests to make you reproduce the verse in its entirety. This one is a keeper. ($Free)
Recent studies show that we check our phones between 100-150 times a day, on average. Let that sink in for a moment. If we're going to be using these things so frequently, why not pin up a background filled with excerpts from Scripture? The developer creates really cool backgrounds and fonts, so they'll be right at home on your phone. Worth the buck. ($0.99)
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So there you have it. By no means is this an exhaustive list, though. Got anything to add? Be sure to leave a note in the comments below.
Dominick Baruffi