It’s time to unsubscribe

Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Krispy Kreme, Arby’s, Domino’s, Taco Bell, Little Caesars and many, many more could be cited. No, this isn’t a list of local restaurants (although it kind of is) … instead, this is a partial rundown of the companies who normally flood my in-box with daily emails. Of course, eating establishments aren’t the only businesses that communicate or promote their goods via email. I also receive solicitations from Christian Book Distributers as we often purchase church supplies from them. Various theology resources, missionaries, church family and ministry partners also email often. Also, numerous groups focused on the sports and hobbies that I find interesting regularly email me. And there were countless companies contacting me because I had registered my email with them sometime in the past … probably just to receive a discount on some long-forgotten order.

I have drug you through my inbox for this reason: in my last article I said this, “show me someone’s email inbox, and I will show you where their heart lies.” Well, I wrote that, not only because I believe it to be true, but also because I had been in the process of cleaning out my own inbox. When I started really paying attention, it didn’t take long for me to realize just how unhealthily my own inbox had become. Just like everyone else, the frequent emails I received revealed what I treasured. And it wasn’t pretty.

Not to bore you with too many details, but I have committed myself to getting in better physical shape. For the last several months, I have changed my daily diet and am in the process of trying to form new healthy habits. I am really seeking to make some life-long changes to improve my overall health. There are any number of reasons for this, but let me mention just a few. First, God is worthy of my best. He gave His best for me in the Person of His Son, and He is worthy of my all. Secondly, I turn 50 this year, and don’t want to hit that milestone in the worst physical shape of my life. Finally, I want to set a better example of self-control. As a parent and a pastor, I want to model Christian behavior in every aspect of life.

Therefore, the last thing I need is for tempting emails from pizza places, burger joints and doughnut shops showing up on my phone every few hours. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying those solicitations are inherently wrong. Just that the sheer number and commonality of them made it clear to me, my heart yearned for things that weren’t good for me. Please hear me, I am not suggesting that if you get emails from places like this, that your heart isn’t right with God. That’s not what I am saying at all. You do what you want with your email, that’s your business.

I am saying for me, it became painfully clear that my inbox was filled with junk, but more than that, my body was filled with junk and it was time to change both. Or, as they say … it was time for the preacher to practice what he preached and get rid of some of the unhealthy temptation in my life.

So, over the last several weeks I have chosen to “unsubscribe” from dozens of email lists. Primarily from businesses that sell items detrimental to my health journey. I figure, out of sight will more likely lead to out of mind. Hence, each day when those enticing advertisements show up, I click on the unsubscribe link and get off their mailing list. I am in no way implying my heart still doesn’t yearn for discounts on deep dish pizza, or crave delicious blueberry cake doughnuts, but I know those things aren’t good for me, and hinder me from achieving my health goals. Therefore, it was time to remove that stumbling block from my path. No sense making this journey any harder than it need be!

But going through the irritating task of clicking here and confirming you want to “unsubscribe from all” did get me to thinking. This idea of getting off the email list of those places and things that entice me, prompted me to draw some other applications.

Maybe junk food isn’t your weakness, but is there something specific in your life that is keeping you from committing your life to Christ? Is there some temptation that you’ve struggled with for years, but rather than getting rid of it, you recklessly invite it in your home or to your smartphone? If so, you need to figure out how to unsubscribe from this and clear your life of those spiritual impediments.

Or perhaps there are some people in your life that you need to unsubscribe from? That may sound silly, but give it a thought. Are there certain individuals that selfishly solicit too much time and attention, and you know friendship with them is emotionally or spiritually detrimental to you? Are there some people that, for your own well-being, you should distance yourself from? I think all of us know people like this. We should love them, pray for them and ask God to change them, but unless and until God does so, maybe you need to unsubscribe from their drama? I encourage you, set up some healthy boundaries and draw back from those dragging you down.

Whether people, places and things … if they aren’t helping you become the best version of you and if they aren’t helping you to more fully embrace the satisfying sufficiency of Christ, then for the sake of your own soul (or your sanity) you need to unsubscribe and distance yourself.

Maybe it’s time for you to clean-up your inbox, whether online or in life.

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