“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14).
“I’m sorry you have Facebook on your phone.” When a friend said this to me the other day, I didn’t originally think much of it except maybe chuckling as a response. But as I’ve thought about it the last couple days, I’ve realized that I’m not happy with what I have on my phone, and not necessarily just Facebook. Especially with the resent election and public disputes, I find Facebook depressing and discouraging. And it doesn’t stop there. Pinterest, Twitter, and other popular social media networks fill our phones in today’s day and age. I’ve realized how much time I spend purposelessly scrolling through feeds instead of focusing on what is more important like other people who are here with me and improving myself by reading or preparing for my future.
Proverbs 31:18 talks about the virtuous woman whose lamp is always running because she is always utilizing her time wisely. Don’t get me wrong; social media can be a wonderful thing. I love using Facebook to keep touch with distant friends and the amount of helpful and encouraging pins I’ve collected on Pinterest is staggering. The difference between my stance two weeks ago and now is the question, “What could I be doing instead of endlessly scrolling through social media that would improve me as a person and help strengthen my relationship with Christ.” James 4:14 is a wonderful reminder that our time is limited, a fact which should cause a desire in us to make the best use of our time. This is a personal testimony and choice and I am by no means saying that everyone should immediately remove social media from their phone. What I’m asking is for you to evaluate how you spend those moments of free time. Will you make every minute count, or will you spend it on the trivial things of earth?
To be perfectly honest, I haven’t deleted any social media accounts. I’ve simply put some of them out of sight on my phone or purposed with others to do other more important things before I look at them. In the short amount of time that I have been practicing self-control in this area, I have already felt a great sense of relief. I’ve made a wish list of Christian books to read during the evenings before bed or after homework and I’ve focused more on the responsibilities that are so simple to push away.
By Hannah Balasa
