I have a habit that I just can’t stop. I do it
before I even get out of bed most mornings. I do it before I go to sleep every
night. When I’m waiting in line, waiting for my professor to start class, or
sometimes when I’m even in the middle of a conversation with someone I do it
subconsciously. I am constantly checking social media. Honestly, I don’t even
know why I do it so much. Do I really care about what I’m reading or is it just
what my generation does? This month I’ve decided I no longer want my nose in my
phone all the time. This month I’m signing off my social media accounts. I want
to be present and I want to get my self-esteem back.
I can remember specific moments recently where
someone has been in a conversation with me and we are both having the
conversation physically, but mentally we are checked out and scrolling through
Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I am DONE being that person. Thinking of all
the meaningful conversations I just write off because I’m too busy looking at
what other people are doing makes my heart hurt. I could be sharing the gospel with someone,
but I’m too occupied with someone’s ability to capture the perfect picture of a
sunset. God is not being glorified when I am half-heartedly present and
half-heartedly in the “cyber world.” I want to give my friends, family, and
strangers my full attention. I also can’t even count the high number of times I
have started a conversation with “Did you see {insert something on social media
here} today? Look how many like they got!”
Which leads me to another reason why I am no
longer going to waste hours of my day focused on others’ lives. I have caught
myself lately comparing my profiles to others’. How many likes did this picture get? Wait, why didn’t she like my
picture? I wish I had that many followers/retweets…STOP! I can only imagine
God’s laughter at me when I even think of comparing myself to them, when I am
perfect in His eyes. But I can’t help it, right? I live in a world that
pressures me to look my best, be my best, and be the best, so I must succumb to the standards of this world. Wrong. When God was anointing David as
king he told him, “For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) This is still
true today! I don’t want to look for my worth in the number of likes I get on a
selfie. I want to find my worth in the Lord again.
I don’t say these things because I think social
media is a bad thing. I am only repeating what others have said before me, too
much of it is a bad thing. In my life I have too much of it. There is only one
thing I want excess of in this world. Jesus.
To Him be the glory,
Chelsea
