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What is the first thing your hand reaches for or the first thing your mind rushes to when you wake up in the morning?
A phone (to check on social media obviously), Wifi switch, the late-night movie/series I watched last night, or even the scene from a book I’ve been reading before bed. Worse laptop to log in to work.
If your answer is anything among the choices above, well Hello my fellow citizens of the lazy town. you landed on the right post!
Once upon a time, not very long ago I went through a phase where I had a hard time listening to God’s voice. I struggled to follow his direction in my life because of the noises around me.
Rick Warren says, that one of the five purposes of our life is to transform into a Christ-like character so we can bring the folks of this world to His life-changing light. Whereas without God's directions, it was difficult to grow into the Christ-like character he intended for us.
So, what did I do? I quit social media. And yes, today if you are going through something like that or you feel stuck in a place and are overwhelmed by the usage of digital content in your life, then hop in, folks. it’s time you learn the 5 stages of decluttering your digital routine.
1. Denial
Who uses social media too much? Pfft me? No way.
Yup, our first stop is denial. We never admit to anyone or ourselves that we are obsessed with social media and that’s not unusual.
Research conducted by Global Web Index shows that globally, 59% of the world's population uses social media. The average daily usage is 2 hours and 29 minutes.
When you are trying something new your first instinct is to post about that thing, yes you are obsessed. Don’t trust me? download one of those app timing apps and see for yourself.
Don't fall for the myth that Christian life and social media can't coexist. God is not against you having a social life. He deeply cares. In fact, God is more interested in Why you do things than what you do.
However gaining people’s attention or their approval is the reason why you post things, it’s not going to take you any step further in your spiritual journey with Him.
Understand that you are not a performer or just an entertainer. In Christ, we are more than that. We don’t do things to please people but God. Do you want to know the funniest part? Nobody has time to pay attention to you because they are also busy performing for others.
We surround ourselves with the voices and comments of people which makes it nearly impossible to hear or decipher God’s voice in that chaos. Without the shepherd’s voice, we can’t move forward or grow spiritually.
So, take a step back and count your social media calories
“Continuously if we are going to change ourselves according to people’s standard for likes and views, how can we bring the change into this world for those who need it desperately?”
2. Anger
Now you are angry at me for calling you out. That’s Okay, as humans it’s our natural response to accusations. When was the last time you considered there might be some truth in your opposition’s argument?
Since everyone has easy access to digital platforms, there is much more hate on the internet than good stuff. Especially among and from Christians.
" I don’t like someone. Okay, so I am gonna create a YouTube channel and talk dirty things about them on it. Who cares if they are running a global ministry or they have kids who can watch or read those hateful comments which could ruin the rest of their childhood right? "
Wrong, first of all, it’s not our job to correct everyone on earth, it’s God’s. Our duty is to reroute them to Him. Second, to quote MLK you can’t win hate with hate, only love can do that. As a reborn Christian, I am damn sure of that.
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ~ Romans 5: 10
So like Toby Mac once said, If you don’t like a post or a comment someone updated scroll down.
You are not going to win hearts by winning arguments.
3. Bargaining
It’s just a couple of YouTube shorts. it’s just a movie, it’s just a post. It’s just a tik-tok reel.
We tend to bargain for these things and convince ourselves that everything is fine and whatever is not it has nothing to do with our digital consumption.
Everything you watch, read, and listen to influences your thoughts and your thoughts directly mend your feelings, and how you feel matters because it reflects on how you behave or on what you do.
Easily a simple dialogue from a TV series can trigger you to go back to the same thing that you are trying hard to stay away from. So be aware of what your intake is.
So same as the human body our mind and soul need cleansing too. You could use a Spiritual diet to attain that.
Whatever the things you justify with an “it’s just a” is the mere thing sneaking past your attention and intervening in your relationship with God. And if something is interfering with the sacred space you share with Him, it’s a NO-NO”
4. Depression
We are the people of this Digital era. All Developed and informed. Also, we are said to be the most depressed generation.
We live in a “Scroll culture”. We scroll down and down and down then compare our lives with the time-skipped testimonials that people post.
You’ll never know what was on the other side of that camera. Your fitness model might’ve spent starving days and your beauty icon maybe cry herself to sleep at night.
Let’s be honest we are all humans and we are flawed in our way if you are trying hard to be like somebody else you are going to fail miserably then you will be depressed.
As you are reading this, if your mind wavers to the thought "I am not gonna fail". You are stuck in stage three or even if you jump straight to the answer "NO, I am not like that", then you are still stuck in stage 1.
You are an original and unique piece of the master creator. Remember there was only one David even though he was the dude after God’s own heart. So, stop scrolling down and comparing yourself to others.
Another terrible thing happening because of social media is the misunderstanding between relationships. And by that, I don’t only mean a romantic relationship with your partner, the bond you share with your friends and family is affected because of this.
When someone doesn’t reply to your message but puts a status or story hashtagging #photooftheday #iamhappy, be true to yourself, how many times have you felt like you are being ignored? alone? might I even suggest depressed?
But you don’t know the whole story. Perhaps they had a crappy day, so they didn’t want to respond to you so that someone took a time out and went for a night ride and shared that they are feeling elated now.
You’ll never know that and there comes the misunderstanding which will grow inch by inch and for sure break your relationship with that person.
To the other extent, the sad part. Your social accounts don’t have to reflect the mood you are feeling. Removing the profile pic, black DP, or broken messages. Stop over-expressing yourself out there, that’s why You have Jesus.
In Matthew 11:28 he said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest".
Also Incase someone is posting unhappy stuff instead of stereotyping them, send a text or give them a call to check on them. Who knows, you might save someone on the verge of killing their selves.
That would be better than posting Long RIP messages don’t you think?
Another thing I wanted to highlight is, Stop living a double life.
The feature I loathe in social media apps was "hiding the certain people option". You don’t have to put a Good-Christian façade in Infront of particular people and the rest of your contacts know you as a different person. Who are you, Hannah Montana?
Never be sorry for being yourself. Stick with those who will love you for who you are. God did. And he is mighty enough to use the best of both worlds to build his kingdom.
If you are having second thoughts about posting something or have the urge to hide some people, then don’t. News flash my darlings, not all things need to be posted.
5. Acceptance.
Let’s be honest, all digital apps and technology have their Pros as much as their Cons. Everyone needs to accept that.
During the lockdown for about a year, we were all still able to feel connected through the same platforms. uninterruptedly We were able to worship God as a church community through online services.
Loads of people who needed help during the tough times were assisted because of these digital platforms and still. So yes the pros are countless.
Yet, as the old saying goes in my mother tongue “When you eat too much, even the healthiest food, will turn into poison”.
Maybe you are an influencer or someone who depends on a social account to promote your work and get clients. That’s the case you can use the same blamed platforms to expand your horizon, Totally cool.
But….. There is always a but isn’t it?
One should be careful about the things injected into their mind to avoid getting overdosed.
Paul urges us to overcome evil with Good. We can create valuable content, post, and share respectful stuff. Reach as many people worldwide and inspire them with our lifestyle In Christ.
The same digital platforms that are leading many lives to doom will come in handy to construct the Kingdom of God, only we need to master the art of balancing between good and over usage.
That’s when the Holy Spirit comes into the picture. when you ask, he will guide you*(John 16:13) steadily in a way where we can use it without crossing any unwanted boundaries.
While you enter certain places or scenarios or apps per se, if you feel like you are leaving God at the door, then it is a no entry.
All is well until the control of your life is in God's hands not tied to your handset
Tell you what, Watching Netflix is not a crime. Engaging on social platforms is not a sin. it totally depends on how you use it. Of course, you can try all things you will, but not everything is Kingdom-worthy.
With your influence on people, you can earn more followers or the blue tick to show you are a celebrity. You can even gain the whole world, but what its worth if you lose your soul?
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” - Matthew 16 :26 (NLT)
Finally, you made it till the end, good for you.
Social Media not only has negative impacts, to simply put it's not just bad but what is it to you? To gain a clear picture of that, you need to analyze the above steps and find out your answer.
It’s been a year since I deleted my major social accounts, not gonna lie it’s been a peaceful and enlightening Journey. Yay, happy one-year social media sobriety to me!!
With so much time left and with fewer distractions, I’ve grown close in my relationship with Him. and I figured out my passion for writing and pursuing it too.
In addition, as a Jackpot, I get to spend more time with Him and for Him. Ain’t that a life 😊
No, I don’t have anything against Mark Zuckerberg or asking you to uninstall all the apps on your phone.
But I will encourage you to take 3 or 7 days, of digital detox challenge. You know God gave us free will? use that and turn off that single wifi icon on your mobile. Go internet free for a couple of days and nights and let me know your comments below.
At any point, this post talk to you? give me a heart and show your support, if you think “Damn, this person could use this” share it with them.
See ya next time, CIAO!!
His Forever,
Hepza ❤
Hey love... Great content and Thanks for sharing it me❤