#struggles: Part 5 - "Rest" with Craig Groeschel - LifeChurch.tv

“I Will Not Be Mastered by Anything”

Scripture References

Primary text

• 1 Corinthians 6:12
• Hebrews 4:9-11
• Psalm 46:10

Other references

• Psalm 131:2
• Matthew 11:28-29
• Proverbs 13:16
• Jeremiah 6:16

Overview

We live tethered to glowing screens that promise connection yet quietly drain our souls. In this final message of “#struggles,” we faced one blunt question: will we let our devices master us, or will we enter the special rest God has prepared? Anchored in Paul’s resolve not to be dominated by anything, the sermon exposed signs of digital bondage, revealed the restlessness beneath our compulsions, and offered two simple but demanding disciplines—be still, and make a plan—that open space for Christ to rule our hearts instead of our phones.

Main Points

1. Technology: brilliant servant, terrible master

• Craig celebrates technology’s Gospel potential: video teaching, Church Online, 155 million free YouVersion Bible apps.
• Quote from pastor Carey Nieuwhof: social media is “a great servant but a horrible master.”
• Personal admission: “I have a love-hate relationship with it… I’m often a slave to it.”

2. “I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12)

“I have the right to do anything—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

• Christ’s power should be larger than any addiction—food, pornography, or a phone.
• Some listeners are unaffected; others feel the device’s grip every waking moment.

3. Spotting the addiction

• Illustration: Seven humorous signs you might be hooked—planning Throwback Thursdays, cat Instagram pages, bathroom gaming, profile changes, sleeping with the phone, saying “sorry not sorry,” and wooing your spouse with “hashtag are you in the mood.”
• New clinical term: nomophobia—the fear of being without a mobile device.
  • 66 % experience anxiety when disconnected; jumps to 76 % among 18-24-year-olds.
  • Speaker’s own 45-minute separation from his phone caused real agitation.
• Survey snapshots:
  • 58 % never go a waking hour without checking.
  • 80 % of teens sleep with their phones.
  • 84 % believe they could not last a single day without it.

4. Restless souls need more than a charged battery

• We acknowledge our bodies need rest; our souls do too.
• Constant pings keep mental RPMs high—leading to distraction, impatience, spiritual exhaustion.
• Augustine’s insight: “Our soul is restless until it finds rest in You.”
• Jesus’ invitation (Matthew 11:28-29): come, trade burdens, and “find rest for your souls.”
• Hebrews 4:9-11 promises “a special rest” still waiting for God’s people; we are urged to “do our best to enter that rest.”

5. Two disciplines that open the doorway to rest

A. Be still

• Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
• David practiced it intentionally (Psalm 131:2): “I have stilled and quieted my soul.”

• Story: Counselor prescribed five minutes a day of total stillness; Craig discovered how difficult silence is when the phone beeps.

• Practical challenge: set aside five uninterrupted minutes daily—no requests, no scrolling, just awareness of God’s presence.

B. Make a plan (defense & offense)

• “A wise man thinks ahead” (Proverbs 13:16). Craft both defensive and offensive strategies.

  Defensive ideas:

  • No phone during meals or LifeGroup.
  • “Do Not Disturb” from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  • Turn off social-media notifications.
  • Vacation or month-long social break if mastery is severe.

  Offensive ideas:

  • First meaningful use of the phone each morning: open a YouVersion Bible reading plan.
  • Daily five-minute solitude.
  • Scheduled prayer times; cultivating a worshipful spirit.
  • Outdoor moments to admire creation without photographing or posting it.

6. Stand at the crossroads (Jeremiah 6:16)

• We are at a decision point: keep defaulting to the screen or walk the “ancient paths” of spiritual disciplines.
• When we choose God’s good way, “you will find rest for your souls.”

Key Truths

• A device that serves the Gospel can just as easily enslave the user.
• Freedom in Christ means refusing to be dominated—even by culturally accepted habits.
• Restlessness signals a soul trying to live on substitutes for God.
• Stillness is a learned practice, not an accidental occurrence.
• Wise disciples pre-decide boundaries (defense) and purposeful uses (offense) for technology.

Response

• Schedule five silent, phoneless minutes with God each day this week.
• Identify one defensive boundary for your device and put it in place today.
• Choose one offensive practice (Bible plan, focused prayer, worship playlist) and make it your first daily action.
• Discuss your plan with a spouse, friend, or LifeGroup for accountability.
• Memorize 1 Corinthians 6:12 and declare it when temptation to “check” arises.

Closing

Craig reminded us that every person stands at a crossroads. Screens cannot grant the deep rest our souls crave; only Jesus can. Accept His invitation, lay down every digital chain, and walk the ancient, life-giving path.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Prayer

The pastor prayed for deliverance from every addiction—screens, substances, unhealthy habits—and asked the Father to give believers practical wisdom, disciplined plans, and deep rest in Christ. He invited those without peace to come to Jesus for forgiveness and new life.

Resources

• YouVersion Bible App