Book Rec: 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You

Emma Langford
Sep 21, 2022
4 min read

“Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.”

Psalm 119: 36-37

Reading level

Very easy —- easy —- moderate —- challenging — very challenging

Genres

Christian living, non-fiction, culture, technology and modern topics

What is the Book About?

Are you aware that some of your smartphone habits are unhealthy, but not exactly sure why or what to do about it?

Do you ever feel sometimes that your smartphone is taking you away from your loved ones, productivity, or even from your relationship with God?

Perhaps you do not have any fears or concerns about your smartphone and can’t find a problem with how often you use it.

My friend, this book is for you.

In 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, Reinke explains the ways that our smart phone affects us, not simply emotionally and physically, but also socially, and more importantly, spiritually. Being too attached to our phones results in less attachment, if you will, to God. Reinke is not a “tech-pessimist” - believing that technology is only evil. Rather, Reinke is a “Tech-optimist,” believing that technology is a gift from God when it is used wisely. The question is, how do we use it wisely, and why does it even matter if we use it “unwisely”?

Reinke explains through extensive academic research how smartphones can create distraction, cause us to be approval-seeking while ignoring our flesh-and-blood surroundings, cause loneliness, create many temptations to sin (including idolatry and lust), take us away from hobbies and things we enjoy for the sake of quick entertainment, and cause a lack of interest in literature, to name a few. Using scripture, Reinke shows how many of the outcomes of using technology unwisely are sinful and can dampen our relationship with God and build a heart filled with triviality and selfishness rather than growing a zealous and willing heart for the kingdom of God. However, the point of showing these outcomes is not to hate our phones but to provide an awareness that causes us to reform how we use them. No matter the ending thoughts after reading this book, one thing is clear: how we use our phones must change.

What I learned from reading this book…

Like most people, I had the general understanding that there are many unhealthy smartphone habits that damage various parts of my life, but I did not realize how subtly this could happen and just how very damaging it is. Although many of the ways we use our phone are now seen as socially acceptable, this makes it easier to ignore the very real spiritual and relational harm that occurs under the surface. Despite the technology-dependent world we live in, we do not need our phones nearly as often as we think. As Reinke says, our technology should be our tool rather than making us simply mindless consumers.

While my habits are still a work-in-progress since finishing this book just recently, I have noticed more awareness in how I use my phone and how it affects my life and my environment. This book taught me ways I can set up boundaries with phones to help me experience the life God has given me and enjoy Him more than anything else - including all that my phone has to offer.

I would recommend this to…

Anyone who has a smartphone and who is at least in their late teens (just because some of the content is a bit more applicable to adult life) would benefit from reading this phone, especially if you use/want to use any platform of social media. It is an easier read, but must be read with an open mind and willingness to learn if you want it to benefit and show change in your life.

How I read this book…

It was hard for me to put down this book, and I found that with Reinke’s conversational style of writing, I could read it anywhere, anytime. The chapters are relatively short (between 10-15 pages each), so reading a chapter every other day and taking time to ponder is what I would recommend if you have a busier schedule. This book is fruitful and is worth squeezing into your time. I also recommend that after reading the book or even while reading the book, take time to journal out thoughts and responses to what you read, which will help you apply the information more deeply into your own life.

This is a book I will constantly be going back to as I look for Reinke’s helpful self-questionnaire for signs of unwise phone usage in my daily life, reminders of why I should change this, and encouragement for what will happen when I do. I recommend purchasing, rather than borrowing this book, so that you constantly have it on hand as a reference.

Who is Tony Reinke?

Tony Reinke is a journalist, host of the Ask Pastor John podcast (with John Piper), senior teacher through the Desiring God ministry, and author of Competing Spectacles, and God, Technology, and the Christian Life, among his other works. He lives in Arizona with his wife and children.