I was sitting with some family members I hadn’t seen in a while. Like at many family gatherings, we naturally found common ground to talk about when we came together. And what always seems to creep into the conversation is the news. What have politicians done or said lately? Which countries are still at war? What acts of criminal activity have occurred? And so on—usually heavy and dreary information.

Have you noticed that? It’s rarely the joyful or positive news stories that we, as humans, rally around. Instead, we tend to gravitate toward the almost shockingly horrible ones.

If you’re like me, a part of you may shut down amid these conversations. Your mind can’t comprehend any more bad news, so you begin to feel numb, almost detached from the reality that these are real events. It’s as if we reach a point of capacity where we can no longer handle more information physically, emotionally, or mentally.

I began to feel guilty for not wanting to engage in these conversations or stay up to date with the latest news. It led me to wonder, Lord, is there a point when knowing too much becomes harmful and not Your will for me?

We live in an attention economy. The more information we consume, the more media companies profit from our engagement through advertising. This runs contrary to the reality God reminded me of in response to my question: We were created with limits. As much as the media would convince us we can know everything, our limitless God intentionally designed us with a finite capacity for knowledge. It is a gentle reminder that we are not God. He is omniscient, and we are not.

God-Given Limitations

Consider what Satan used to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden: the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was knowledge that Satan tempted them with—that by eating of the tree, they could become like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). But the truth is, they were already like God—they were made in His image—but within His perfect boundaries as created beings. Unfortunately, the knowledge they gained by eating of the fruit did not draw them closer to God; instead, it distanced them from Him. Their new awareness brought shame, causing them to hide from His presence. God’s prohibition was not meant to keep humanity naïve; rather, it was a form of protection. There is more freedom in living within God’s created limitations for us than in exploring outside of them.

God didn’t want Adam and Eve to know they were naked. He didn’t want them to feel shame. But in love, God allowed them the choice of whether they would open themselves up to this new knowledge. And He gives us that same choice every single day: Will we try to be like God, knowing all things? Or will we accept the gracious limitation He places upon us, that He is omniscient and we are not?

Adam and Eve tasted fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and gained forbidden knowledge—knowledge that was meant for only God to know. Not all fruit is meant to be eaten, and not all knowledge is meant to be acquired.

The Importance of Discernment

Now, not all knowledge is bad. The New Testament writers repeatedly encourage believers to grow in knowledge, reminding us that we will be accountable for what we know and how we respond to it (Colossians 1:9, 1 Peter 2:2, James 1:5, Philippians 1:9). Jesus Himself expressed disappointment in the Pharisees and Sadducees for their lack of understanding, as they were unable to discern the signs of the times (Matthew 16:1–4).

Believers should, therefore, strive to grow in what they know. However, there is a distinction between discerning, life-giving knowledge and unhelpful knowledge, and we are faced with choosing between the two every day.

The question then becomes: What kind of knowledge are we filling ourselves with? Do we really need to know everything we are exposing ourselves to? And, frankly, should we give the power of what we see and know over to media companies?

Take a prayerful and honest assessment of how much access you have to information and consider the kind of knowledge filling your mind. Is it beneficial? Is it leading you to operate more in the Spirit or in your flesh? Do you find yourself becoming more Christlike as you take in information through news, social media, and in conversations with friends? As you reflect, you may find the Holy Spirit gently convicting you in certain areas.

I know for me, there are times when social media gives me access to things I don’t need to see, like constant location updates or minute-by-minute news alerts. While these tools are not inherently wrong, they often expose me to information that isn’t necessary for me to carry all the time.

I’ve found that it is often in those spaces most filled with nonessential information that the enemy is quick to plant seeds of bitterness, discouragement, envy, or confusion. Shame, one of the enemy’s most powerful tactics, entered the world through Adam and Eve’s forbidden increase in knowledge. The enemy met them right when they stepped outside of God’s boundaries.

This is not a call to withdraw from information altogether. Rather, it is an invitation to be intentional and to prayerfully consider what you allow your mind to dwell on. After all, our minds belong to Christ. What we take in should be filtered through the truth of who He is and what He has called us to carry.

Ultimately, this is not a call to withdraw from the world but a call to carefully and prayerfully discern what we allow our minds to absorb.

Gospel Hope for Information Overload

While the overload of knowledge we take in can weigh us down, there are still many godly and uplifting things we can set our minds on. Revisiting Genesis 3, we see God’s hope-inspiring nature shine through. Genesis 3:9 says that “the LORD God called out to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”

Even after their sin—after they came to know what they should not—God pursued them.

Not all news is good news—but the gospel is. Because Jesus came to earth to pay for our sins and restore our relationship with the Father, those who place their faith in Him can look forward to the restoration of what was lost in Eden: a future marked by peace, joy, and the presence of God. It is a place where we will not know too little or too much but where we will see Him just as He is and be like Him (1 John 3:2).

Too much “fruit” from the wrong trees can lead to living in the flesh, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:19–23). May you prayerfully allow the Lord to guide you to the knowledge or “fruit” you need.

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Author Bio

Patricia Vachula is a Ph.D. student in Biblical Exposition at Liberty University. She is passionate about studying and unpacking Scripture within its literary and historical context and delights in helping others engage the Bible faithfully and clearly. She is originally from Long Island, New York, and now resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.

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