Last week I deleted my personal Facebook page.
It needed to happen. It really had for a while, and this is how I knew...
It started to distract me from the the more important things in life...
Too much time was spent there instead of in the here and now of the surroundings I've been placed intentionally in by God.
Before I go on, I must say this. I believe Facebook is morally neutral. It's not wrong for people to be on Facebook, in the same way that it's not wrong for people to have a glass of wine with dinner. The fact that alcohol exists doesn't make us all alcoholics. It's the abuse of alcohol that God warns us against. The same can be true of many morally neutral things...like Facebook.
I've appreciated the network Facebook creates for so many reasons in the past, but in the recent months, I've noticed it start to pull me from the things I know are more important. Like being intentional with my in-between moments which would sometimes turn into minutes staring at my computer screen or phone, scrolling down a list of activities or thoughts some of my "700+ friends" thought status worthy at the moment...or to check to see if anyone "liked" or "commented" on my latest update or picture. Evil?...no. But like any "good" thing that starts to get the priority attention that only "best" things should get...an unhealthy result started to unfold.
I knew I was starting to swim in that "good thing turned unhealthy" realm when I could look back on my day and not feel like I had enough time or energy to give to the most important priorities in my life...God, my husband and my kids and my neighbors. Instead of vibrant relationships with those God has intentionally chosen for me to be near...I started to feel a distant chasm build between us as I grew more "aware" of the lives of my Facebook community and less present with those closest to me.
I like vibrancy. I like to feel the pulse of the Holy Spirit actively moving through my mind and heart. Placing "good" things before the "best" things in life produces a numbing effect that makes me feel like I'm floating through life as a casual observer that things happen around. I'm not okay with merely sitting in the audience when I was created to truly live on the center-stage of a plan written for me by the same God who knows the stars by name. I want to be an active member in the body of Christ that hears from the Spirit, is refreshed by His Word and acts on His promptings in the lives of those He's placed me around.
First Mindful Monday verse...
"For I know the plans I have for you"- this is the Lord's declaration -"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
I realize this is a tricky thing in the online world we now live in. So much of our reality lies on the other side of a computer screen...but it doesn't have to. Is the online world of Facebook, Pinterest and blogging evil? No...but like all morally neutral things, the abuse of them is and they can be used by the enemy to distract us from where life really lies. I value my "online" friends and the way this blog has opened up doors for me to share about Jesus to those around the globe. My heart skips a beat with humility and gratitude each time I get an e-mail from another reader who has opened their heart to Jesus for the first time. I'm also quick to encourage them to find a community of believers in their area that they can begin walking with, in person...so their only source of encouragement doesn't live on the other side of a screen.
In all this talk about Facebook, you may be wondering why I've kept my blog's Facebook page. It's still there to allow more people to hear about our journey for now. Set up very differently than a personal page, it's not nearly the distraction to me my other page was, but if that ever changes, I'm sure you'll hear about it, and out it goes!
I'll leave you with one last promise and the second Mindful Monday verse for the week...
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
Amen. John wrote this verse to church members, encouraging them to walk in the light and to confess their sins in order to keep their relationship with the Lord sweet and strong. Confession leads us to true healing, as we bask in all of our tarnishing choices before a God of light who chooses then to wash us in the blood of His Son. He allows us to walk in fellowship with one another not as never-tarnished, but as cleansed representations of His grace. Thank you for letting me use this post as my confession to you today of choices gone bad...I'm thankful for a new start!
My goal this week is to be more present in real life, than in "on-line" life....to be more present in "face-to-face" conversations with those I'm around than with any interaction elsewhere. Who knows...there may be a life-changing chat waiting to happen if I'm present enough to let it happen. No...it's not a conversation anyone else may ever know about...it may not have a comment box or "like" button floating in the air for someone to acknowledge, but He sees. And more than anything...I want that to be more than enough for me.
So if you're still in a healthy, "I check it every once in a while but my life doesn't revolve around it" kind of relationship with Facebook, I'd love for you to join our page where there's the occasional update, encouraging scripture, devotional thoughts and place to list requests for prayer. If not, my feelings aren't hurt at all...I pray wholeness for us all in this digital age and celebrate every choice made bringing us closer to communion with Jesus and others around us, in our immediate surroundings first before we seek it out across a screen...thank you Jesus for your presence with us that corrects and encourages.
So how about you? Where are you with all of this??? I'd love to hear :)
Years ago when face book became the new thing I tried it for a few days. I was quickly contacted by many old friends and kids in my youth groups from the past. I was excited to hear from and "see" them... and within a few days I had a pit in my stomach. There was no way I could keep up with everyone and I too was distracted from life being lived right in front of me. I deleted my page a few days after starting it and have been so happy about it! The pressure I had felt was released, and the intentional time given back. I know others often think, "how can you not have a fb page, with looks like I am crazy. :) and you know... I'm totally ok with it! Here's to a more simple way of living again! I am proud of you! It was hard for me to let go of in the beginning and might have been for you, but I think you will quickly appreciate the choice you made. :)
Yes, Kirstin! I was hard for me to let it go...definitely...and honestly, because it was so hard, that's when I knew it was necessary. I didn't realize how tight I was holding on until God asked me to let it go and I thought..."Can I really do it???" I do feel more present in life around me now and am so thankful. Thanks for your encouragement!
I've been wanting to do the same thing for a while now. I so agree with everything you said here. So true, so true.