3 Questions to Ask About Your Social Media Use

Hello Friends, Welcome Here!

The topic of conversation in February has been social media. I recently decided to take a 6 month hiatus from Facebook + Instagram. I am 2.5 months in now, and it has made a huge difference in my life. If you want to hear more about that decision, you can check out the most recent podcast episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3xiqnuchJic5r7O4G8L3Dv?si=529c32d7f3874f4a

This topic is heavy on my heart and I don’t think I’m done sharing what the Lord has been laying on my heart just yet. Today we will be talk about social media and how it affects our faith. Maybe you share the same conviction as me, and maybe you don’t, nevertheless you should be evaluating how social media is affecting your walk with Jesus. In short: does it bring you close to Him or farther from Him? My personal answer to this question was, try as I might, social media was not improving my walk with Jesus whatsoever.

Today we are going to look at 1 John 2:15-17 and use it as the basis for 3 questions to ask yourself in regards to how you approach not social media but any area of your life that could be taking priority over your walk with Jesus.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 2:15-17

Do you love it more than Jesus? (Verse 15)

This is probably the most difficult question to ask yourself in any area of life. None of us wants to say yes, I love this more than I love Jesus, but the truth is we do. We are humans with a sinful nature, and unfortunately it can be harder to love Jesus more. How do you know if you love social media more than Jesus? Because it is just social media, it can’t be that important to you right? The first thing you can consider is the amount of time you spend on social media + when you get on it. Check your screen time, how much time is spent on Tiktok? 1 hour? 2? 5? How much time do you spend in God’s word or in prayer? There is no requirement that says you have to spend two hours with Jesus before you do anything in your day. However, if you are saying, “it’s just so hard to find time to read my Bible!” but you can sit and scroll through Instagram, something needs to change. If you love Jesus more than your phone, you will at the very least spend time with Jesus.

Another thing to consider is when you are on social media. Do you open it before your feet hit the floor in the morning? 2 months ago, that was me. I wouldn’t even go to the bathroom before I rolled over and opened my phone to scroll. If this is the case for you, something definitely needs to change. The first thing you do in the morning is one of the most important things, because clearly it’s what your mind is on when you wake up.

Lastly, are you willing to remove this (social media or other) from your life? Things that we love are hard to give up. If you can’t relinquish your social media to the Lord, then you love it more than Him. If you can’t delete the app for even a bit, it’s time to evaluate and ask the Lord to show you what changes need to be made in your life. It’s time to ask Him help you love Him more.

Is Social Media Affecting the Big Three? (Verse 16)

In verse 16, we see the Big Three: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. These three are the root of every sin. In this world they are unavoidable in completion, but if you are willingly letting social media influence you toward these things of the world, it’s time to take a break.

Where are your desires? Social media slowly manipulates our desires to a point that maybe we don’t even notice it. What are you currently desiring, coveting? Is it a person? A lifestyle? A vehicle? Are you growing discontent with your life? This is not drawing you closer as we are called to be content with whatever we have.

Where is your pride at? Do you feel more important or better than people on Social Media? Do you find yourself judging, critiquing others’ lives? Perhaps you feel less when you are scrolling and don’t feel worthy.

If you experience any of these things, social media is not benefiting your walk with Jesus even if you do follow “Christian” accounts or influencers.

Are You Doing God’s Will? (Verse 17)

The last question is short but complicated: are you in God’s Will?

For a long time I was fighting God’s call to me to leave social media behind. I didn’t want to give it up, I didn’t want to sacrifice that for Him. Once I did let it go, a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Maybe social media isn’t your stumbling block, but maybe there is another thing in your life consuming you and keeping you from God’s will. I urge you to pray about this and ask the Lord to show you. He is patient and He will wait for you to come to terms with letting it go, but I promise the sooner you let go the lighter and freer you will feel.

As an encouragement, the author reminds us that whatever is in the world that has capture our love and focus is temporary. One day, social media will not exist and no one will care how many followers or views you get. One day the alcohol will no longer stifle your depression. One day the fancy, expensive couch you covet will be in a landfill deteriorating. The things of the world are temporary, but when we walk in God’s will and love HIM the effects are eternal.

Will you choose today to pray about the areas of your life you can let go of in order to walk closer with Jesus? I promise it is worthwhile.