My Social Media Detox

I've been taking a break from social media the past few weeks, mostly from facebook. Mainly because it was starting to get to a point where it was taking over my life somehow - feeling the need to check it over and over during the day, even when I get no new updates. I'd get upset and feel discontent over my circumstances, because I would see the (perfectly framed, often staged) experiences other people would put up on their timelines. These things could be so damaging to one's morale. I realized most of the validation I sought was through the online platform, and it was ruining me. So I had to step away.

During my time away from it, I sought to refocus my energy and all the new free time I had into more productive things. I read more books, tried to exercise more, spend more time in prayer, took long walks, and explored my neighborhood. It was so freeing, to say the least, to do things without having to think about what other people will think of me. I never realized how chained I was to it until I broke away. Kind of reminds me of the verse that tells us to "Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

One of the prevailing verses that I was meditating on this entire time has been on Romans 12:1-2:

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercies to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern His good, pleasing, and perfect will."

It was an interesting week, because INITIALLY, I had not been meditating on this verse on purpose. It just so happened that throughout my various studies of Scripture during the week, it just kept popping up. Eventually, I was reading and hearing it so much that I got to memorize it. Now I realize what a beautiful and timely reminder it was for me during this detox. (God is gracious like that)

Verse 2 was the kicker. Do not be conformed, but be transformed. I wish I could explain how profound this sentence is to make it clearer, but someone already did the work for me. I'll just quote it below:

"The contrast is clear. Paul is saying, do not be conformed, outwardly, such that your behavior is indistinguishable from the world. Instead be transformed, from the inside out. And we see that transformation happens by the renewing of the mind [internally]. 

The point of all this is that holiness does not simply mean bringing our outward behavior into conformity to an external standard. That is not the sanctification to which we are called. The inward transformation of the mind - which is to say the character, or the affections - will indeed work itself out in external behavior, but that transformation begins internally."

 - From Sanctification: The Christian's Pursuit of God-Given Holiness, by Michael Riccardi

Keeping this in mind aided me in my ordeal. I will admit that at the start, it was difficult because I was trying so hard to "not think about" what I was missing out on in the world of social media, but what I should have been doing was setting my heart and mind "on things above" (Colossians 3:2). It's kind of like meditating in a way. Other religions will tell you to empty yourself and empty your mind in order to meditate, but as Christians, we're told to be filled with the Spirit, that we may meditate on the Word of Truth and gain understanding. We cannot change merely by adjusting our behavior or actions. For me, I knew staying away from my facebook for a few weeks wasn't going to solve much. I knew that because even when I wasn't there anymore, I was still thinking about it and I was still tormented by it. True change must come inwardly, and that kind of change isn't possible without Help.

So I guess this experience has been really healthy and healing for my soul. Not for any other reason except that I was able to return to my Saviour empty, so I could be filled by Him again. I've decided that upon my return to that world on Monday, I'll be taking things slow and make better, wiser decisions in my use of it.

If any of you have any recommendations on the proper and healthier use of social media, please feel free to share them. I happen to know i'm not the only one who has done a detox like this, and many others like me (especially folks who are digital natives or millennials) want to break away from social media, the constructs it creates, the contempt it produces, and the insecurities it brews.

- D