Grayscale & Grace: My Lent Journey to Less Distraction

Hello, friend.

I’m Dawn Tolbert, author of I’d Rather Die Than Obey, a Bible study of the book of Jonah that explores what it means to trust God even when it hurts.

And this is the Unwrapping Rest podcast.

My desire is to encourage frazzled women to stop striving and unwrap God’s gift of rest.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Welcome to Episode 9, The Power of Going Gray.

The first notes sound from my smartwatch, and gentle pulses tap my wrist, chasing sleep away.

It’s still dark outside, with only the orange glow from the alarm clock and the neighbor’s security light brightening the room.

Before a fully awake thought stretches itself across my brain, my smartphone is already in my hand.

It seems innocent enough.

Just a quick tap.

But the screen immediately demands my attention.

Five notifications came in while I was sleeping.

Surely I need to know instantly about the latest sale, the breaking news, or the late-night reply from a friend.

All too often, I click through and find myself soaring down a digital highway of information and faces, tidbits and rabbit holes, falling farther and farther away from the rest I’d hoped to find.

But during the season of Lent—that forty-day period of leaning in to focus on Jesus as we anticipate celebrating His sacrifice—I wanted desperately to break that digital cycle.

I wanted to remember vividly that this world, with all its bright red notifications and constant alerts, is not my home.

One of the productivity podcasts I enjoy mentioned a simple way to break the hold our devices have over us by creating a visual interruption.

The trick?

Going gray.

Don’t worry—I’m not encouraging you, unless you want to, to follow my lead in embracing my strong white-haired genes.

Instead, I’m talking about turning my smartphone display to grayscale.

It was a shocking change.

When I first switched to grayscale, I was surprised by how different my relationship with my phone felt.

What had been a source of constant stimulation suddenly felt muted and subdued.

The apps that usually drew me in somehow seemed less urgent and less compelling.

There’s actually science behind this.

Our brains are wired to respond to bright colors, especially reds and blues, with increased attention and even small dopamine releases.

The people who design apps and social media platforms know this.

They invest heavily in research, studying the exact colors that will keep us engaged the longest.

Every notification bubble and every “like” button is carefully designed to capture our attention.

Remove the color, and you remove much of that power.

Without those emotional cues, I found myself approaching my phone much more intentionally.

Grayscale became a visual reminder—a pause button that quietly asked:

“Do you really need to check this right now?”

“Is this worth interrupting your present moment?”

The process itself wasn’t difficult.

On my iPhone, I simply opened Settings, selected Accessibility, then Display & Text Size, and finally Color Filters.

By turning on Color Filters and choosing Grayscale, I took my phone back about seventy years in appearance.

It looked much more like Dorothy Gale’s Kansas than the Technicolor Land of Oz.

And you know what?

A lot of the attraction faded.

Without the familiar brand colors, it became harder to distinguish one app from another.

The lack of color became a gentle reminder that this icon-filled world shouldn’t command all of my attention.

That visual speed bump served its purpose.

It made me more mindful of how I was spending my time.

What began as a productivity experiment slowly became a spiritual practice.

Psalm 46:10 reminds us:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Stillness isn’t only about quiet surroundings.

Sometimes it’s about intentionally removing distractions that compete for our hearts.

Maybe grayscale isn’t the answer for you.

Maybe your interruption looks different.

Perhaps it’s placing your phone in another room during your quiet time.

Turning off notifications.

Leaving your device behind during a walk.

Or simply resisting the urge to reach for it first thing in the morning.

Whatever form it takes, my prayer is that you’ll find ways to create more space to notice God’s presence.

The world is always inviting us to hurry.

Jesus invites us to be still.

May we choose the better invitation.

Thank you for spending time with me today.

My hope is that today’s reflection gave your heart a little breathing room and reminded you that rest sometimes begins with one small, intentional choice.

Until next time, keep resting, keep trusting Jesus, and remember: You don’t have to do it all to be deeply loved by God.

I’m cheering you on, always.