“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-Matthew 19:20
So, I lost my phone yesterday. Yeah, you can imagine the frustration that I felt. There are pictures, notes, and all sorts of important information in that phone. Then there is the cost of the phone itself and the complexities of getting another one. I lost my phone, but I learned some lessons. Here are a few that I think are worth sharing:
I use my phone too much
Though I don't spend hours each day on my phone, I realize that I spend too much time on it. I know this because I got quite a bit done yesterday afternoon without it. I accomplished things that I had put off for several days. I realized that I have more time than I think I do. I just don't appropriate that time as wisely as I should. That hurt me to admit, but it is true. Then came the icing on the cake: John said, "You will find some other device to get on. You can't just be here without it". Ouch! That means he sees me with my phone in my hand too much. So, I needed this time without it. Perhaps, you do too. Are you spending quality with your spouse or do they see you spending more time with your device than with them? Has anything become more of a focus for you than they are? Honestly evaluate yourself and make whatever change is necessary.
Have it before you need it
Boy, was I thankful that I had insurance on my phone. It seems like such an unnecessary expense until you need it, but when you need it you will be so glad that you have it. You can't purchase fire insurance after a house fire. You can't prepare for a financial emergency after you have one. Much the same, you can't wait until there is a major issue in your marriage to get prepared. So often, we think fighting is for when something major happens, but many times it is too late then. I encourage you to insure your marriage with kind words, actions, and deeds. Insure your marriage with great communication and intimacy. Insure your marriage by covering it in prayer and seeking God's will above your own. Do it before you find yourself in dire need of it. It would have been very costly for me if I would not have had the insurance. If we don't prepare now, it could be very costly for our marriages later.
Don't sweat the small stuff
It didn't feel small, but it was small. After all, it was just a phone. It is easy in the moment to make something this small seem gigantic, but we have to resist the temptation. While I was looking for my phone I could feel frustration and anger rise in me. I knew that there was no one to blame and no need to get bent out of shape, but I felt the anxiety anyway. I had to constantly remind myself that it was just a phone. There are issues in our marriages that can seem so big in the moment, but we need to remind ourselves to keep things in perspective. Did your husband leave his clothes next to the hamper instead of putting them in the hamper? They are just clothes. Did your wife forget to close a cabinet door? It was just a door. Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill. The enemy would love for you to lose fellowship over something so small. Determine what is worth a discussion and what is not. My phone could be replaced. Relationships are not so easy to replace. Choose wisely!
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