Breaking the Silence: A Social Media Time Out
Have you ever taken a time out from something because you had unwillingly had to and then discovered life seemed better without it?
While working through various health challenges the last several months, exhaustion became a steady friend. Taking the time to write posts, create graphics, or even scroll through friends and families feed didn’t fit in. As a result, I stopped using my social media apps except for an occasional five minute limit here and there.
Time Out – Take One
After a couple months of time out, I crept back onto the scene as energy allowed. It wasn’t long before I came to an unsettling realization. My mental and spiritual health were much better without them.
The platforms I had enjoyed because I could stay in touch with far away friends and family were no longer a source of fun pictures, uplifting stories, lighthearted jokes and memes.
Instead, they seemed to turn into areas where everyone complained, was offended about everything, compared what they had to everyone else, and voiced their unloving opinion about everything. It was even more dismaying to see how many people professing to be Christ followers were not showing God’s love.
To add to the hatred and negative energy, every suggested ad whether on social media or the standard news feed was fixated on things that didn’t matter to me. I’m not overly concerned with the Royal Family’s business, the latest Bachelorette Nation drama, what actor/musician/newscaster/politician said what to who, what to binge watch on Netflix, or hourly updates on the pandemic.
Time Out – Take Two
Choosing to take another break seemed best. I found there was more time to sit down and read a book, listen to seminars, rest, have an earlier bedtime or do something responsible like laundry, cleaning, bookwork, and cooking.
I really enjoyed my time away. Conversations in person or on the phone were tangible and encouraging. Focusing on my kids and Jason, our businesses, and the beauty of the farm came easier. My brain was active and happy learning more about the Bible, motherhood tips, and valuable devotions. Watching films about Christ followers facing persecution was inspiring and convicting.
During my time out, things on the writing front were quiet. Several ideas and thoughts came to me, but when I sat down to write, either nothing came out, I realized my heart was not really in it, or I felt unqualified.
As a writer, one of my prayers is for God’s words, not my own, to be spoken. I’m just a vessel, sharing what He has put in my heart. I didn’t want to write without feeling His sense of peace. So, the silence continued.
For a while, I considered shutting down my own blog page and deleting the apps from my phone. The longer I went without them, the more liberated I felt. But there was a constant niggling in the back of my mind that God wasn’t done with this journey yet. He had placed something on my heart I couldn’t quite understand. It took a while to untangle the emotional, spiritual, and physical threads.
Time Out – Take Three
Interestingly enough, it was the testimonies of people living all out for God in third world countries that brought clarity. They are facing the possibility of persecution on all levels and still going forward to make disciples for Jesus in the underground churches.
My reasons for staying away from social media felt trivial. If I remove God’s voice, the words He has given me to share, and stop being an example for Him; I am contributing to the problem too. One of the best ways to counteract negativity is with positivity, love, faith, and hope.
As Christ followers, now is probably one of the most important times to put aside our differences and start sharing God’s love. What does God tell us in the Bible? What words did Jesus and his disciples speak to encourage us? Where do we get our faith and hope from?
I do not want to live knowing I could have done more to further God’s kingdom but choose not to because I was more worried about acceptance, friend count, my own well-being, or appearing crazy.
If our hearts are aligned with God, how can we continue to stay silent? As I’ve pondered how to best serve God in this moment in time; the following questions and quotes have been thought provoking and encouraging. May they do the same for you.
Questions to Help Filter Thoughts, Opinions, Words
Is it good? Is it right? Is it true? Does it please God?
Do the words leaving my mouth/hands point back to God’s truth or are they self-serving? How do they line up with God’s Word/am I creating my own interpretation?
Is the issue at hand truly a biblical one (is it referenceable in the Bible) or has it been made/portrayed that way to serve an ungodly purpose?
Have I done my own due diligence by researching (biblically, scientifically, etc.) the issue at hand myself rather than relying on hearsay from mainstream media and/or friends and family?
How will this show love for God? How will this show that I honor God’s Word? How does this show I love my neighbor as myself?
Quotes to Help Check Our Hearts
“…Wanting our lives to be safe, convenient, comfortable and predictable is the antithesis of following Jesus.” Amena Brown
“Meeting Jesus should change everything in our lives, and if it doesn’t, do we really know Him?” Author Unknown
“When we take every thought captive and reclaim our thinking pattern from the lies of the enemy, we are set free to set others free. May we steward our freedom well.” Jennie Allen
