“Comparison is the thief of all joy” – a saying I have heard for a long time. And it’s true. I try to be real on the internet, but is it really possible to know someone fully just by pictures and captions? Absolutely not. It can be the playground for the enemy to plant seeds of destruction. The devil’s work is slow and steady, and if you are not careful, that seed will continue to grow until it becomes fully ingrained in your head – the LIE that you are not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not skinny enough - and you believe it. It seems that anxiety in our society is rising each year, and if I were to bet money, it is because of social media. With one click, you can instantly feel less than by seeing someone else’s photos. You were perfectly content before you saw that trip to Mexico she got to go on. You were content until you saw clothes that you thought you “needed.” Comparison is not only hurting your heart, but it is a very selfish place to sit. The internet has become so ME-focused – cue the new Taylor Swift song, no coincidence there. I will admit I have been coming to social media for affirmations, but I am constantly left feeling empty and sad.
We need to be very cautious how we use our time, because what we see on social media has an impact on us. Our minds are like carousels, constantly spinning with distractions & thoughts where we can become imprisoned by the enemy. Those thoughts will eventually become real beliefs and how you see yourself. Not only that, but you start forming thoughts and opinions of others based on their highlight reel that’s NOT real.
I recently started muting accounts, "unfollowing" people or taking breaks where I do not SCROLL. This isn’t about that person - it’s all about the issues in my heart that I need to address and pray about. And, if I am really honest, I don’t think someone would look at some of my posts and say, “Yeah, that girl loves Jesus.” I think they would say “Yeah, she might love Jesus, but she loves herself more.” Am I using social media to bring glory to Him or to myself? Heart check.
The Lord wants me (and you) to surrender all parts of our lives over to Him, even the parts we want to control. Instead of turning to social media first thing in the morning, I will remind myself of His truth – I am a child of God, I am worthy, loved, forgiven, and He alone is enough. I am positive I will fail at this constantly, but when I do, I know where to turn. The Lord has continually revealed things to me and I know that changing my priorities around will only deepen my need for Christ, which is the ultimate goal.
Xoxo,
