What number is this? 2,000,000,000,000.
2 trillion. That is a huge number!
If it only required one second for me to write each of the digits that comprised 2 trillion, I would need more than 63,000 years to complete the task. Take that Methuselah! I would kick him out of his coveted spot on the Guinness book of world records for longest lived person if I could endure so long.
What’s so special about 2 trillion? That is the number of questions that the world throws at Google each year. Actually, for 2019 the amount might be closer to 2.4 trillion. Think of all the hopes and dreams, worries and wonders that the Google god-imposter-cloud has to listen to and respond to each and every day.
Google or God?
Before you left your room this morning, did you think to Google, I mean, pray?
In ages past, people turned to God with questions. Now, it seems, everyone’s first thought is to turn to Google, the new god in the clouds who apparently has the answers to all questions. But is that true? Does Google really know all things? Is Google really the source we should turn to when our hearts have questions?
People go to Google to ask seemingly everything, questions that in years past they only would have asked God:
- Hey Google, what is the weather going to be like in the next several weeks? For most of human civilization, the answer to this question could lead to life and death since most people were farmers and their livelihoods were dependents upon cooperative weather.
- Hey Google, what’s on the other side of that mountain? Humans have always had wanderlust, to explore what is over the horizon and to have insight about their surroundings. Additionally, knowing if what threats existed in the environment helped our ancient ancestors to survive.
- Hey Google, what should I know about this person I just met? Humans are social creatures, but not all humans are as warm, kind, and friendly as we would like. We’d prefer to hang out with those that will be of benefit to us and avoid those who might hurt us or who could compromise our peace.
- Hey Google, I noticed such and such issue with my body. Is this going to be a real problem? Health and wholeness have been and continue to be deeply important concerns for humans.
And so many other questions (which I can’t list here because, remember, I’d need 63,000 years and most readers won’t take more than 63 seconds on any article TL;DR, right?):
- Hey Google, what should I do with my life?
- Hey Google, what should I wear today?
- Hey Google, what food should I eat?
- Hey Google, who is Stan Lee?
- Hey Google, what are the latest football scores?
- Hey Google, what are the Mega Millions numbers?
- Hey Google, where is the closest restaurant?
- Hey Google, where is the closest bathroom?
- Hey Google, where is God?
God Knows You and He Wants You to Know Him
Centuries ago, God declared to the Israelite prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
God knows who we are. God knows where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. We on the other hand have mostly forgotten where we come from, why we are here, and the limitless possibilities of where we are going if we choose God.
Only God knows our heart: “Give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.” (1 Kings 8:39) Google doesn’t know our hearts. Google does not know our full and true past. Google does not know the mind-boggling possibilities of our eternal nature as sons and daughters of God.
How many of us are downing in information overload because we can find answers to millions and billions of questions instantly? But do these questions and answers really matter? If we pause, and turn off our devices, quiet our hearts and minds with a single focused breath, we can find the Spirit of God working in us, guiding us, revealing our true natures. We can find the answers that matter. We can rediscover the truth that no matter the trillions of search queries we put to Google, or any other search engine, the only real search that has any meaning is discovering the Father of our souls.
The modern information age mostly distracts us from finding God. Turn off. Tune in (to God) and find your soul liberated by experiencing afresh the answer to the question, “who am I?” In the profound depths of silence you will hear reverberating in your soul, “You are my eternal child who has the possibility to become as I AM!”
Life Hacks
Create moments of pondering: Plan 15 minutes each day to turn off everything that is a distraction. That is time for meditation, thinking, listening, pondering, feeling, and discovering.
Have questions: Questions are the stuff of adventure and dreams. But don’t give all your questions away to Google. Give some of your questions to God. The most important questions of your life should go to God. Who am I? Why I am here? And during your day, write down the questions that come to your mind.
Be ready to record: Always have a way to record the discoveries your soul makes. If you are old-school analog, have a pen and paper. Or if you are like me and your smart device has become like another member of your body, be ready to record what you learn. And if you are like me you are more willing to lose an arm than to lose your smart device!
Be ready to act: Plan time each day to act on promptings, impressions, learning, and insight. Don’t get sucked into the whirlwind of the pressing demands of life, which so often are nothing more than being in the thick of thin things, that you have no time left to make progress on changes your life needs.
(This post was originally published on GregTrimble.com)
Want More from Taylor Halverson?
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