Do you remember waiting for your memes to load on your CRT monitor before they were called memes? My family still had dial-up internet when I got my Facebook account. I recently shared with a friend how I used to scroll Facebook and Instagram for hours. She was incredulous. “It’s so boring! I have so many better things to do!”
If you’re like her and have no problem moderating your time on Facebook and Instagram, congratulations! That’s cool. If you’re a little internet goblin like me, but you’re interested in taking your life back, stick around!
Honestly, I’ve quit Facebook before for six months or so at a time. But I still zombied out on Instagram, Youtube, and Reddit. Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:15-17, would whisper in my mind;
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Ephesians 5:15-17
Unfortunately I’m a little stubborn. It wasn’t until I got married and my new husband sadly said to me, “will you please put your phone down and look at me?” that I finally sought the conviction to quit for real. A couple more months later, I felt the Lord speaking rather clearly to me that I needed to get off of social media. This time I finally did it. That was about 10 months ago.
Here are the 4 surprising benefits I got from quitting social media:
1. I talk to people in real life more
A friend approached me and asked if we could talk on a weekly basis. Ever since then, most weeks we talk on the phone or meet up in person. This is a friendship that may have fizzled out if I was still too busy being glued to a screen. We revitalized it by gentle effort to keep in contact. Sadly, that’s not the only friendship I’ve neglected because I let likes and comments take the place of real conversation. Now I’m ready to start this practice with someone new – with the goal of spiritual support and mutual discipleship in mind.
Are there people you miss but haven’t reached out to? I encourage you to take a moment and reach out to them. Don’t just send a text hello. I have found that it works best to say something along the lines of, “Hey, I haven’t talked with you in a while. Would you like to get together over coffee or a phone call? I’d love to hear how you’re doing.” That will ensure a deeper interaction than a few words and an emoji. And, they will probably hit you up later and tell you how much they enjoyed your time together.
2. There’s plenty to do without fear of missing out.
The truth is, you will miss some things if you’re not in the loop through social media. I’ve learned that the inner calm and more intentional life I have are worth missing some things. Remember that God knows his plans for you, and he will make sure they are accomplished. “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” Psalm 135:6. He doesn’t need Facebook to make sure you go to the right places at the right time. His Holy Spirit can accomplish that job!
But! Talking to people more will lead to in-person invitations. When you show interest in other people, they are most often happy to show interest back. Conversations will naturally lead to things they can include you in and that you can include them in. That could be anything, like a weekend hike or an opportunity to meet their need for helping hands on a project.
3. I have a closer walk with God.
Ephesians 5:15-17 often convicted me of my lazy, Reddit-feed lifestyle. I could spend every waking minute of a Saturday scrolling and guiltily read a couple Bible verses right before falling asleep. Now that I’m doing better at relinquishing how I spend my time to God, I feel a deeper partnership. I’m more motivated to do what he wants.
If that speaks to you, trade some time on the web for time in God’s presence and in the Bible. God said to Israel in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” This promise to a stubborn people so long ago reveals that God desires our wholehearted attention; not just the leftovers after a busy day. An obedient following, not a half-hearted interest. It is an incredible feeling when you give God your time and heart and he does good work in you!
4. I got my own thoughts back.
As I planned what I wanted to accomplish with Almost A Walrus, I realized that now that I have been off of social media for 8-9 months, I finally have some of my own thoughts back. My attitude has softened. If I had started writing Almost A Walrus several months ago, it would be much more opinionated, jaded, and negative!
Logging off social media means flipping off the switch on a lot of societal drama and international catastrophes. You can guard your heart by reducing the amount of chaos you observe. My friend put it this way; “You can have 12 catastrophes in a day. We weren’t made for that!” (paraphrased). All that is a recipe for a troubled heart.
Remember Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, for I have overcome the world” John 16:33.
Jesus is taking care of the mess out there, so we don’t have to watch helplessly. We can focus on the life God has for us. We don’t need to be exasperated with the world when we know God is working in it. It’s much simpler when you’re feeding your trust in God more than your fear about what is going on in the world.
What social media did I quit?
To truly quit all social media would mean cutting out Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Reddit, Messenger, Youtube, and more. I strictly avoid Facebook and Instagram. I allow very myself very occasional trips to Reddit. Youtube can still be a helpful tool as long as I’m not using them to replace the whole social media addiction I had before. (I struggle with this one).
My husband and I watch a new meme video every Monday. It’s very short – about 7 minutes. I use Youtube to learn how to blog! And how to just about everything. The key is to know what you are doing and why you are there. You know yourself.
What websites take up your time (and your peace)? Have you ever quit social media? If you find yourself scrolling when you’re stressed or feeling empty after going on social media, maybe it would be a good idea to take a break. When you’re itching to scroll, turn to scripture instead. Check out Proverbs – the Bible’s Twitter.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you process your thoughts about social media and its usefulness or hindrance in your life. If you know you need to take that step of logging out for good, go you! You are building good things in life. Remember, there is an abundance of people out there who are happy to be your friend face-to-face. There is great reward in choosing to maintain friendships and getting your own thought life back.
Here is a recap of the benefits:
1. I talk to people in real life more.
2. There’s plenty to do without fear of missing out.
3. I have a closer walk with God.
4. I got my own thoughts back.
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-Sanna
