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June 2015 marks a significant change. Each morning during the workweek, I get up and grab a bowl of cereal, a glass of water, and my bible. I sit at the kitchen table, eat breakfast, and then delve in to Hebrews.
The change began with the realization that I was spending more time focusing on the posts and comments written on Facebook than I was in my Bible. I'd use my phone to scroll through my newsfeed for at least five minutes every hour. In a 12 hour period, that is an entire hour wasted focusing on the lives of others while forgetting to focus on my own life, especially my spiritual life. I'd like to say that I only spent an hour on Facebook in a 12 hour period, but most hours included 10-15 of wasted time.
I went through the month of May with a gut-feeling that I needed to delete the Facebook app on my phone, but I used one silly excuse after another. It wasn't until the first weekend in June during a technology deprived Women's Retreat that God used someone else to speak to me. That evening, I turned on my phone and deleted Facebook. I needed to show my dedication to God, not to man. Step 1 was deleting the app, and Step 2 was routinely delving into scripture.
I still check my newsfeed using my computer, but I have to intentionally open and turn it on which makes it more difficult to access. This hasn't come with some struggle. For instance, I've told myself that using Safari to check Facebook was completely different than using a Facebook App. But, no, it's not, and I have to remind myself of that often.
All of this will sound silly to some, especially those who rarely use social media. However, addictions come in all shapes and sizes and don't always have to be considered bad to the mainstream in order to be an addiction. Addictions keep our eyes off Jesus and our eyes on ourselves and others. I don't want anything to do with something or someone who distances me from the Lord, and that's exactly why a change was necessary.
I'm excited to continue reading Hebrews. I'm only on chapter 7 because it's deep and takes time to digest and understand, but I'm finally spending more time with God than on social media, and I'm 100% thankful for that.
Refine me, Lord.
I went through the month of May with a gut-feeling that I needed to delete the Facebook app on my phone, but I used one silly excuse after another. It wasn't until the first weekend in June during a technology deprived Women's Retreat that God used someone else to speak to me. That evening, I turned on my phone and deleted Facebook. I needed to show my dedication to God, not to man. Step 1 was deleting the app, and Step 2 was routinely delving into scripture.
I still check my newsfeed using my computer, but I have to intentionally open and turn it on which makes it more difficult to access. This hasn't come with some struggle. For instance, I've told myself that using Safari to check Facebook was completely different than using a Facebook App. But, no, it's not, and I have to remind myself of that often.
All of this will sound silly to some, especially those who rarely use social media. However, addictions come in all shapes and sizes and don't always have to be considered bad to the mainstream in order to be an addiction. Addictions keep our eyes off Jesus and our eyes on ourselves and others. I don't want anything to do with something or someone who distances me from the Lord, and that's exactly why a change was necessary.
I'm excited to continue reading Hebrews. I'm only on chapter 7 because it's deep and takes time to digest and understand, but I'm finally spending more time with God than on social media, and I'm 100% thankful for that.
Refine me, Lord.
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