Fighting Sound and Lightనమూనా

Day 5: Habitual distraction

It’s amazing how much time we spend on social media. Actually, what is more amazing is how frequently we access it.

I recently had an assignment that required me to keep a record of every minute I spent on social media for a week. This was relatively easy for me since I only have two (Facebook and Instagram), but it was definitely a hassle to keep track of it all.

What made it such a hassle, though, was that my use was so frequent. I kept picking up my phone and checking my feeds, even when there was nothing to see. In the end, I realized I wasn’t even spending that much time on social media. My downfall was compulsively checking, again and again.

So what? Is this bad? I generally assume things I do involuntarily are not good. But this one especially gets me because it often prevents me from doing the two things Jesus wants most from me: loving Him and loving those created in His image. When I compulsively check my phone, I am so preoccupied with the people on my screen I might see that I miss out on the people around me I might love. When I spend my time being comforted and challenged by social media, I neglect to find rest and conviction with the Holy Spirit.

Social media is not evil. But it might inspire evil. And it might enable evil. 1 Corinthians 6:12 reminds us that even non-evil things can impact us negatively. In these times, we rely on the discernment God gives us to decide where we spend our time. Social media is inherently neither good nor evil, but if we find it leads us away from God, it is encouraging evil in us. As you engage with things you know are dangerous for you, I encourage you to constantly look out for when it influences you to sin or neglect your relationship with God. If you see it happen, I implore you, make a change. Do not be enslaved as it overcomes you.

I turn to social media when I am feeling empty––either bored or unmotivated. Never has it helped. Why do I continue to turn to it? I think it’s mere convenience. Do you find yourself doing this, too? Why do you think you reach for your phone in the first place? Would something change if you reached for your Bible or journal instead? One thing I know: you will never know unless you try.

Learn more about fighting these impulses at sevenminutesolution.com.