According to recent data, people are using social media less frequently in exchange for real-world connections. As a result, people are regaining what it means to be present once again rather than being trapped in a virtual world. For far too long, social media has become a major distraction for people, especially for Christians who are struggling with their walk with God because they are spending less time with Him. As Christians, let us ask the following question:
ASK: As algorithms lose their hold, people are remembering what it feels like to rest, to listen, and to be fully present again. If our feeds are slowing down, how might we use this moment to draw nearer to God—learning again that true connection begins not with Wi-Fi, but with worship?
Renew Your Mind
We spent countless hours on social media, which ends up encompassing the majority of our time. You know you’ve spent too much time on social media when you’re scrolling through aimlessly without the discipline to stop. What makes it so dangerous is that we are constantly getting copious amounts of dopamine, which subsequently leaves us restless and wanting more. This is what we consider to be instant gratification, a type of gratification that we don’t have to work hard for because it is readily available to us. Subsequently, instant gratification numbs us to reality, making things less appealing. This isolates us from cultivating actual relationships with people, and also prevents us from our own self-development in real life because of the digital world.
It also has a negative effect on us mentally through what is known as doomscrolling and brainrot. Doom scrolling is when we scroll aimlessly through negative content including news and information online. Brain rot, on the other hand, is the negative strain from too much time being online. Overall, our brains get hijacked by the screens, and therefore, our lives become captive to them.
So how do we break free? First, let us consider renewing our minds in the word of God (Romans 12:2) instead of filling it with trivial and negative content online. Renewing our minds is essential in the Christian life because it begets heart transformation. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Matthew 22:37). We must not discount it for anything. The discipline of cultivating a sound mind comes through renewing our minds and the word of God. Dear Apostle Paul says we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). And we grow in that reality when we have his words in our mental space and we don’t let it go in one year and not the other. But rather, we meditate day and night. The Lord has Joshua do this so that he would be able to do all that he is instructed to do (Joshua 1:8). Meanwhile, Psalm 1 contrasts the blessed man with the wicked as someone who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night. The scripture adds that “He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms 1:3 CSB.
Renewing our minds is essential to action because we learn what the will of God is. Moreover, we learn more about our Heavenly Father as we grow in our relationship with Him. As the Scripture says, “draw near to God and God will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Less time on the screen means more time getting to know our Lord. I don’t know about you, but that is a far better exchange. The more time we spend with God, the more we realize living for Him is what truly matters. I pray that we can continue to put off the sin that at times besets us by taking it to the throne of grace. The Lord is more than willing to help us, as Christ always lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25) and the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, making intercession for us when we don’t know what to pray (Romans 8:26).
Pray without Ceasing
A life of prayer is one that is praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Although we are to make our requests known to God through prayer, prayer is ultimately communing with God. I think of Jesus, who often spent time alone with the Father, including 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), and going off into solitary places to pray (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:15-16; Luke 6:12-13; Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:31-32). This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it goes to show the importance of spending time with God the Father in prayer.
Let us not forsake this practice. What a tragedy it is when we are quick to spend time on people and other things while spending little to no time with God. Lack of time is not the issue here, but rather how we use it. Are we using it for trivial matters or for that which is eternal? With less social media, the more we can ponder on our Lord. As the Psalmist says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Friends, there is no regret with spending too much time with God, for it is the best time we could ever have.
Much like Jesus, we can still get on with our daily responsibilities while also making time for the Lord. It is all about balance with the kingdom of God at the forefront (Matthew 6:33). A life of prayer is a life of putting God first in all things.
Authentic Not Digital Relationships
Social media means more time spent with those we love. We hear it all the time, but it’s true. Sadly, many relationships have fractured or weakened because of more time on the screen than with them. Let us, therefore, plan to cultivate more time with people because life is short. The last thing we want is to live in regret because we did not want to spend time with them. As the scripture says, “redeem the time because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). Christians are to walk wisely throughout their lives because they live in a fallen world. How we live our lives matters because we are accountable before the Lord.
So ask yourself, how can I better spend time with the Lord away from the screen? As the saying goes, “old habits die hard”, but the truth is, they are not impossible to break. Overall, we know that nothing is impossible with God, who strengthens us in our weakness and helps us when we cry out to Him. Treasure God so that He would be your greatest delight. There is none like Him and none beside Him. Nothing nor no one will ever compare to our great Lord. So why settle for less? Why settle for that which is temporal for that which is eternal? Let us then replace whatever distractions that are keeping us from Him and release them unto Him. May our lives be of one that is of continued surrender unto our Lord. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Vichien Petchmai
