“The comment was not helpful, it was guilt inducing.”
You are right, just keep on texting, in fact why don’t you even text during Kaddish, and Kedusha and while davening shemoneh esrei, whatever your friend is texting you is obviously more important than talking to Hashem….
Popa there’s a fantastic Sefer called Olas Tomid by Rav Shmuel Hominer Zatzal. Learn that Sefer and your appreciation for Davening will greatly change.
Frankly, I think most of these types of questions that people ask come from a lack of understanding what Tefillah…is, as well as a lack of knowledge in the Halachos.
Once a person recognizes that he is standing in Hashems house and speaking directly to HIM he will realize how absurd it is to do anything that has nothing to do with Davening.
If you were unemployed and you got a job interview with an opportunity to make a lot of money if you get the job, would you pull out your phone and text in middle of the interview? Imagine, the interviewer asks you “why do you think you are qualified for the job?” Instead of answering him you just ignore him or even tell him wait a second, and pull out your phone and start texting.
Draw your own conclusion if you got the job…