Modern Life Could Be Killing You (And What to Do About It)
Estimated read time: 9 minutesWe live in the most technologically advanced age in history, one designed for convenience and instant gratification, but that's ultimately making us sick.
We have medicine on demand, food delivered to our doors, information at our fingertips, and entertainment 24/7. And yet, despite all of these comforts, rates of chronic illness, depression, anxiety, obesity, and loneliness are at record highs.
Why? Because modern life, though "easier" in some ways than in the past, has cut us off from the very rhythms and practices that God designed for our health and well-being.
Comparison on social media is fueling anxiety and low self-esteem. Access to endless information and a never-ending news cycle 24/7 has rewired our brains and robbed us of patience. Indoor living has separated us from the healing gifts of creation. And the collapse of true, local community has left us lonely, isolated, and vulnerable to stress.
The solutions for these issues aren’t new. They’re old—ancient, in fact. Below, we'll discuss how we can return to God’s timeless design for living, restore peace, and rediscover who we were created to be.
The Trap of Social Media & Constant Comparison
In biblical times, your sense of identity came from God, your family, and your community. Today, for many people, it comes from likes (often from people they don't even know), shares, and filtered photos.
The average American spends about 2.5 hours a day on social media platforms, which has created a culture of constant comparison.
You scroll through highlight reels of other people’s lives and inevitably feel inadequate. It's no surprise that 62% of Facebook and Twitter users say that when compared to others’ posts, they feel their own accomplishments aren’t enough.
Proverbs 14:30 reminds us: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Yet our society trains us to compare constantly, which robs us of gratitude, focus, and joy.
Ancient wisdom calls us to practice gratitude instead of comparison; to give thanks for daily bread rather than envy another person’s banquet.
Modern science confirms this: gratitude practices, such as writing in a journal about positive moments you've experienced each day, can help lower cortisol and stress, reduce inflammation and anxiety, and strengthen relationships and overall mental health.
Ancient practice to restore balance:
Limit daily time on social media and replace it with prayer, journaling, or reading Scripture. Fill your mind with truth and gratitude rather than images designed to make you feel left out or “less than.”
The Problem with Instant Gratification
Our ancestors planted seeds and waited months for the harvest. They rose and slept with the sun. They endured fasting seasons and feasts. Patience wasn’t exactly optional—in fact, it was woven into the rhythm of life—and few worthwhile things were expected to come quickly or easily.
Contrast that with today. You can order just about any food and have it in 20 minutes, scroll for endless dopamine hits in seconds, or binge-watch an entire series in one sitting. While instant gratification feels good in the moment, it erodes discipline and leaves us restless in the long run.
Galatians 5:22 lists patience as a fruit of the Spirit, yet it’s one of the virtues most neglected by modern living. When we can’t delay gratification, we fall into cycles of addiction, whether to sugar, screens, attention, or shopping.
Ancient practice to restore balance:
Reintroduce rhythms of fasting. This doesn’t just mean food; it can also mean digital fasts or financial restraint. Waiting and withholding strengthen the soul and retrain the body to seek what truly satisfies.
For example, research on digital detoxes shows that people tend to find them easier than expected, often feeling relief and enjoyment from reduced screen time. While some experience boredom or loneliness, most adapt well and feel calmer overall with less screen use, plus many are replacing social media with other rewarding activities.
Indoor Living & Disconnection From Creation
God created us to live in rhythm with the natural world. Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Yet most modern people spend over 90% of their time indoors, under artificial light, disconnected from fresh air, natural sunlight, and the soil beneath their feet.
This disconnect is devastating. Without sunlight, circadian rhythms falter, leading to poor sleep, exhaustion, hormonal imbalance, and depression. Without grounding (making direct contact with the Earth's surface), our nervous systems remain in constant stress mode. Without exposure to soil, sunlight, and fresh air, our sleep cycles and immunity weaken.
Ancient life was outdoor life, plain and simple. For the first 97% of human history, there were no separate indoor and outdoor spaces, but rather one continuous environment. Walking, farming, gathering, and worshiping often all happened outdoors, including in the light or under the open sky. And it’s no coincidence that health and resilience were stronger.
Compare that to modern times, especially in industrialized countries like the U.S, where more than half (56%) of adults spend less than 5 hours per week outdoors on average, and over 75% spend just 10 hours or less.
Even more startling: nearly 20% of Americans spend less than 15 minutes outside each day, meaning mere minutes in the fresh air.
Ancient practice to restore balance:
Get outside daily, including walking barefoot in the grass when you can. Watch the sunrise and sunset, which is one of the easiest ways to experience awe. Garden and attempt to grow some of your own food. Pray, play, meditate, and exercise outdoors. Let nature reset your rhythms, hormones, and soul.
The Collapse of True Community
Technology has given us plenty of “followers” but taken away true friends. Humans are designed for connection—for eating, working, and worshiping together and helping one another out in many different ways. Yet, 1 in 10 American adults report having no close friends at all, and more than half say they have only one or up to four.
Community was central to ancient life, whether through synagogue, shared meals, or labor in the fields. Today, isolation and loneliness are epidemic, and they carry real health consequences, raising risks for dementia, heart disease, and depression.
In Hebrews 10:24–25, Scripture reminds us of the importance of showing up for one another, gathering in community consistently (ideally daily), and lifting one another up, stating: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…"
Ancient practice to restore balance:
Rebuild rhythms of fellowship. Invite neighbors for meals. Join a small group, such as a book club, Bible study, or sports team. Share Sabbath with family and friends. Create face-to-face connections in a world that substitutes screens for real relationships.
The Ancient Blueprint for Health & Wholeness
We don't need to reject modern life altogether to feel more connected, balanced, and well. But in many ways, we do need to anchor ourselves in practices as old as creation itself. Here's where to start:
Focus on gratitude over comparison: Trade envy for appreciation.
Fast from social media at least once a week: Use that time for prayer, learning something useful, or connecting with loved ones. Create “analog” time. Replace TV or scrolling with reading Scripture aloud, journaling, or telling stories as a family.
Patience over instant gratification: Practice waiting for returns on your investments and self-control.
Try a simple fast. Skip a meal once or twice a week, not to punish yourself, but to remind yourself that man does not live by bread alone.
Nature over artificiality: Seek sun, soil, and fresh air daily. Begin and end your day outdoors. Even five minutes of sunlight at sunrise and sunset helps reset circadian rhythms and can lift your spirit and energy.
Community over isolation: Share meals, news, prayers, and burdens together. Cook real food and invite friends or neighbors over to join in a meal, eat slowly, and focus on enriching conversations.
Final Thoughts: Returning to God’s Design
Modern life is full of comfort but often void of meaning. It makes us sick because it pulls us away from the patterns God built into creation, which are the very ones that actually feed our bodies, minds, and souls.
But by recovering ancient practices—including gratitude, patience, community, and nature—we can rediscover health, peace, and purpose.
As Jeremiah 6:16 reminds us: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”
The ancient way is still a good way. And it’s the path that leads not only to health but to life in its fullness.
References:
https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-deep-dive-the-time-we-spend-on-social-media
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37585888/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11109987/
https://biblehub.com/psalms/19-1.htm
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065424000531
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/25/1208572681/friends-friendship-meet-up-research-pew-health-benefits
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2010%3A24-25&version=NIV
https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/324830/get-outside-americans-spend-less-time-than-ever-outdoors/