As I was listening to today’s K-Love broadcast in the car, one of their news feature was how teens and young adults were having difficulty expressing their feelings because of social media. They were looking at other people’s posted lives and saying how ‘perfect’ their lives were and comparing their real lives to that. Boy, do we ever get in trouble when we do it. Don’t get me wrong, I think we all do it to an extent. One of the female DJs talked about when she went out shopping and she sees other mothers and how well dressed and well put together they are. I know I’m in that camp. When I get dressed to run errands, my look is ‘presentable enough’. But I do see the beautifully, well-made ladies and wonder how they do it.
Social media is much like that. People take a ton of selfies, a lot of them are rejected, and then a few ‘best ones’ are posted for the world to see. Similarly, don’t think others’ lives are peachy creamy based on the few pictures you see. I recently started following a runner on instagram. I think a picture that had been taken while she was running showed every cellulite on her body and that she was struggling and she became discouraged by that. But then, she pulled out another one that was taken a few moments a part from that picture. It showed a very happy and toned lady running her race. She did a side by side and wrote about it. It was featured in many news articles about her bravery. Social media can do that to you. It can make you want to compare your weak moment for someone else’s strong moment. Don’t do it. We are all struggling in some areas of our lives.
Don’t compare your relationship status by what you see either. Because you see the pictures posted, you don’t know the sweat and tears that led to that moment. We are all a work in progress. People only choose to show the ‘happy’ side of themselves.
If you need to unplug for a while, do it. And when you need this reminder, turn to Psalm 139:14, which states ‘14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.’
I hope you know full well how much thought went into making you into who you are. Don’t compare your life to someone else’s ‘lie’.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for loving us so much that you took time to ponder every aspect of being before you made us. We are not just here by chance, but because you love us and know our worth. Help us not to compare ourselves to others, as we each have our own struggles.