Christian Youth & Young Adults
"No one can serve two masters," we read in Matthew 6:24. "Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."
There is nothing inherently wrong with using Facebook once in a while. It can connect you with friends and family and even with thriving Christian communities that can add a lot of positivity to your life. It is possible, however, for Facebook to turn into a problem, and teens and young adults are particularly susceptible to sinking way too much of their time into this social network. Here are four signs that you should probably be cutting down on your Facebook time:
- You check it whenever you get the chance
It's okay to check Facebook for notifications or message when you've got some downtime, but not during every spare second that you have. If you are looking at Facebook the minute you wake up, the second before you go to sleep, or when in the company of others, then your checking habits have gone too far. Learn to be patient and restrict yourself to checking only a few times a day.
- You are reading content that doesn't even interest you
If you've made a habit out of aimlessly browsing your news feed to see what your friends are up to, then you've probably read your share of statuses, conversations, and shared content that doesn't really interest you. If you are always clicking on articles or watching videos when they pop up in your news feed just for the heck of it, then you are wasting a lot of time that could be spent doing things you actually enjoy.
- You have "Facebook drama"
Getting into Facebook fights on posts, statuses, or in messages will do nothing but cause you stress and eat up all of your time. Not only should you steer clear of developing Facebook drama in the first place, but, if that drama spills over into your offline life, then you know its really time to tone down the Facebooking. Facebook is for connecting with friends and family, not for creating conflict.
- It has left you with no time for God
"No one can serve two masters," we read in Matthew 6:24. "Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other."
Though this encouraging spiritual quote is referring to trying to serve both God and money, it applies very well to having to choose between Facebook and God. If your constant checking, updating, and browsing has eaten up time that you could have spend reading scripture, praying, or just sitting in quiet contemplation, then you it is certainly doing some damage to your spiritual life.
Facebook can turn into something of an addiction, and it is better to limit yourself before your Facebooking habit starts to take a big toll on your life. Consider deleting the app from your phone or blocking the website on your browser to give yourself a bit of a break. It might be hard to go without updating your status or checking your news feed at first, but after a while you will likely find it to be refreshing.
Spiritual Prayer
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.