I shared with you a few weeks ago that I had come to the conclusion that I needed time away from social media. I realize that I was falling into a trap that I had prided myself for many years as being able to avoid: envy.
I like to think that I have a lot going for me, and I have a lot to be thankful for, and that has been for many years.
Except recently.
Recently, I started looking at social media and getting anxious about the one thing in my life that was lacking. I also follow a lot of ‘encouragers’, so there usually are verses on my feed that I need to be reminded of. Except, after scrolling mindlessly for way too many minutes at a time, I’d walk away feeling sad, and feeling like I didn’t have enough.
After staying off for a few days, as soon as I went back on, I was greeted with the very things that I was coveting. Ok. I still wasn’t ready to be back yet.
As I was going through my devotions, a few times this week it referenced time. How was I spending my time? The devotion stated: It’s what we value that we give the most time to. I love vacations and was in the middle of planning one, so I was busy searching for flights and spending what seemed like a long time trying to find the right one at the right price. I had also been spending an inordinate amount of time on social media. Is that what I was valuing?
I have about 30 minutes each way on my commuter train. I realized that while I was going through the tunnel, I’d attempt to read, but as soon as I got out and I had phone service, I was back to scrolling mindlessly. Until I went on my social media fast. I had to make a concerted effort to stay focused on the book I was reading, and not switch to social media.
The last week has made such a difference.
I’m absorbing things in my mind that I’m learning from, and being edified.
I won’t attempt to tell you how to spend your time. We each know what our tasks are and what we need to accomplish. I happen to love reading, and because I was falling into the trap of social media, I was neglecting that area of my life.
How do you spend your time? Do you feel refreshed and uplifted when you’re finished, or do you feel sad and despondent? If you do, it’s time to reassess what activities you are doing, that is having that mental effect.
Dear Heavenly Father, please remind us that time is a valuable resource and that once it is used, whether wisely or foolishly, we will never have that time again. Help us to assess our time and what we are doing. Help us to use it to uplift ourselves and others.