Is There An App For That?

 If you have any sort of electronic device at all, then chances are you know of or you have heard the word "app" said before. Apps are found on cell phones, tablets and iPads. Some apps are already pre-downloaded on our devices while others have to be downloaded by us. The word app is short for "application." It is a type of software that you can access on your device and use the Internet with. There are many different apps available for us to use. There are apps for social media, exercise, weather, games, coloring, the Bible and the list goes on and on. It is a shortcut to access resources and receive information quickly. At the click of an app, you can see the most recent post on your social media timeline, the current temperature outside, and play your favorite game as many times as you want. At some point, the question may have been asked about a particular topic, "Is there an app for that?" Now, apps can be very useful. But at the same time, having downloaded apps that you are not using take up unnecessary space. Why hold on to something if you're not using it? That's a whole other word for another day! In addition, using apps can be time-consuming and become addictive if you're not careful. The key is using them in moderation, which is something we all have to work on daily. While there are many apps available, some things won't be found on apps no matter how hard we look for it. Peace..the real peace that comes from God...is not found in an app. It's found in knowing Jesus (John 14:27, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 26:3). Using certain apps may make you happy for a while, but they will not give you the joy you're longing for. Joy is found in knowing Jesus (Nehemiah 8:10). Joy lasts long after you click off the app. I'm a witness because it's my joy in Jesus that's getting me through my season! Loving and serving others come from spending time with God and applying His truths (I John 3:18, Psalms 100:2). It's loving and serving when you don't feel like it. It's loving and serving people who may not treat you right. A heart of love and service has to be developed in us and there's no shortcut for that like on an app. It comes in the form of interactions and opportunities placed in front of us and it's up to us how we respond. And endurance...not found on an app either! It's going through circumstances and not giving up. It's a process that happens as you go through life experiences and storms. It comes from trusting in God to help you press through those hard times. I have had to endure a lot (and still enduring a lot!), but God is the only reason I'm still here and haven't given up. I'm still standing and I'm so grateful to Him! That's a good place to praise God because you're still standing too! Apps can be helpful and a positive asset. However, the next time you ask yourself "Is there an app for that?" and can't find one, you don't have to panic. It could be found in something better: right opportunities, right connections, God's Word. So when it's all said and done, when the app isn't working or you've logged off, when the shortcut just won't do, remember peace, joy, love, service and endurance outlasts any app on any given day.