My sports apps are beginning to interfere with my work and my life. For some people, it is their addictions that interfere with their daily obligations; for me, it’s just my iPhone and iPad.

On second thought, some people might think that I have an addiction to my sports apps if they are interfering with what I do for a living. But really, it’s not that I’m addicted, it’s just that I’m connected (denial is the first sign of addiction).

Whatever it is, I really need to get a handle on it. In church this Sunday, my iPad notified me of an NHL trade that was just signed. That’s not big deal, is it? Just one little notification that sounded like a bird’s whistle? There is no problem there.

So it happened in church … I wasn’t hurting anyone. However, I was preaching at the time, using my iPad. The sound might have carried over the mic a bit. But still, hardly anyone noticed, I think.

Later that same afternoon I was officiating a wedding, and just after I said, “Who gives Alex to be married to Josh?”, I got another notification. It was to inform me of the score of the Blue Jays / Red Sox baseball game.

But it was an outdoor wedding, and I wasn’t mic’d, and probably no one heard it. And even if they did, they probably thought it was a robin or a Blue Jay. No harm there; it went completely under everyone’s radar.

Later at the reception, I started receiving several notifications, one after another. It was the NHL Draft alerting me of who got the number one draft pick and who the Leafs picked up. But it didn’t cause a scene. The room was noisy and everyone was having a good time.

I really don’t think I have a problem. If my wife doesn’t think it’s appropriate, maybe it’s her that has the problem, not me.

It all started so innocently with me wanting to know how my teams were doing. My sports apps informed me that they could help. All I had to do was select the teams I wanted to follow and they would gladly push the notifications over to my phone.

I guess I never thought how many notifications I would get. I ended up getting way more than I thought. Maybe I am out of control, but maybe I just picked too many teams and all I need to do is cut back a little. I think I could do that.

Maybe if I choose some times that were off limits to being notified, that might make everyone happy. If say, Sunday mornings between ten and noon I refrained from notifications, even my wife would relax.

On the other hand, maybe I do need to revisit my sports apps’ notification and turn it off – period … to curb my notification habit.

Here’s the thing: There are many things in life we don’t consider a problem – things we enjoy, even things we think we benefit from. But if they get in the way of our relationship with Christ, or if they compete for our time with Christ, we need to stop the excuses and do something about it … and stop pretending there isn’t a problem when there clearly is.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What perfectly good thing can become a problem for you? Leave your comments below.