social media heart check
The world at our fingertips.
We can log into Instagram (or Twitter or Facebook or Youtube) and see what our friends in London are eating for dinner.
We can buy clothes in one minute and have it dropped off on our front porch two days later (thank you, Amazon Prime). WILD.
Social media is such a fun thing — I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it isn’t! It’s actually pretty amazing. I love it because we can interact and connect with people and make new friends. I love it because we can be inspired and informed! I’ve met some of my sweetest friends through social media — like how cool?!
However… there can be downsides. And I know this isn’t a shock to you.
I’m sure we’ve all caught the “comparison critters” after being on social media. Maybe you find yourself feeling envious of other people’s clothes, status, wealth or relationships. Maybe you feel jealousy spike when you see how many followers or likes someone is getting. Maybe you always leave your social media apps feeling like your self esteem just fell through the floor. The list goes on…
This is a BIG part of our world! But make no mistake — ALL OF US can be swept away by social media. And as awesome as it can be, social media can become an idol — something we worship instead of Christ.
So what are we supposed to do with social media when we want to live for Christ? How are we supposed to glorify Him above all?
We must do regular heart checks.
Anything that becomes a big part of our lives becomes a big part of our hearts — what we live for and how we spend our time! Our hearts can be kinda tricky — that’s why we have to check in on them.
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” (Proverbs 27:19)
What we fill our lives with eventually fills our heart. So in today’s world, we need to do regular heart checks to make sure that we are worshipping and prioritizing Christ over ALL. That includes social media! As Christians, our call is to love God more than the world (1 John 2:15-17).
I’m not saying that social media is HORRIBLE. All I’m saying is that social media can be a place where comparison, envy, jealousy, bullying and lust live. That’s why we need to be on alert and constantly check our hearts to see where we’re at and how we’re feeling.
LET’S DIVE INTO THIS HEART CHECK TOGETHER…
SOCIAL MEDIA HEART CHECK
Why do I have social media?
What’s your motivation? Is it to encourage, inspire and love? Is it to share your passions and favorite things? Or is it to brag / show off / find validation?
Do I consider the words and pictures I post beforehand?
Proverbs 18:21 tells us that we have the power of “life and death in our tongue.” Do you think about what you write and post on social media? Do you consider how much influence you have on others? It can be easy to post quickly, but I’d encourage you to consider how it’ll affect people — if it will bring them up or if it’ll add value.
Do I struggle with envy and discontentment?
You’re not alone if you do — we’ve all been there. Ask yourself if you get jealous or envious after being on social media. Determine who / what makes you feel this way and ask the Lord for answers — whether you’re supposed to distance yourself ir log off so you can renew your heart and mind.
Am I celebrating with others in their success / progress?
When you see others, do you feel joy for them? Do you encourage them in a loving way like a brother/sister in Christ should? When we’re jealous, it can be easy to put people down or refuse to support their success. But we’re called higher — are you a life giver and encourager?
Am I being loving to Christ and to others when I’m on social media?
When you comment, are your words loving? Do the things you type with your fingers honor Jesus or not? Are we using our words to show people that we love them and Christ? Do people see His light through us?
Are my words truthful or are they deceitful?
It can be easy to “bend the truth” on social media because it’s not real life — we aren’t sitting face to face with someone. Ask yourself if the pictures and the words you post are true — does it stay true to who you are, what you believe and what you do?
How much time am I spending on social media?
How much time you spend on social media a day? (**Tip: If you have an iPhone, you can see a reports of how many hours you spend on social media. Read about it here!) Simply evaluate how much time you’re on. If you spend tooo much time on social media — set limits for yourself on your phone!
Is this the best use of my time right now?
This one is related to the previous Q — ask yourself if you use social media at the best times. Or are you using it to avoid work / school / responsibilities? Are you on while you should be studying or working? Are there things that are higher priority?
What are my priorities?
I like to make a list of my priorities, either in a day or a week. It’s a good way for me to see what I have to do and what’s important. Ask yourself what or who is most important in your day and you’ll quickly see where social media fits into the picture.
Social media can be a negative place…. but it can also be a place where we can SHINE BRIGHT for Christ. A place where we can encourage people, make friends and be creative. There are so many positives and so much opportunity — that’s why we need to constantly check our hearts so that we can keep using social media for good, for light.
Remember that people are watching us. Our lives are displayed so publicly on social media — so how are we going to use it? Let’s be people who have renewed hearts and minds to use the Internet for good.
