I Have My Reasons
[It's been a long time since I've blogged, so "hi!" I know that when I started my blog last year that I'd intended on posting everyday. Obviously, that didn't happen. I'm going to try to blog at least a couple times a week. We'll see!]
Several days ago I decided that I was going to completely delete my facebook account on May 31. A few years ago I had deactivated my account for exactly a year, and I loved being off it. It was refreshing to be out of the constant barrage of information. But, after much nagging from my friends, I got back on it. Now that I'm planning to go cold turkey, I am meeting some resistance, as expected. But I want to lay out the reasons that I am quitting facebook.
1. Facebook is a time suck. There are so many much more valuable things I could be doing than checking my newsfeed. Life is so fleeting, and I don't want to waste any more of it looking at social media. You've heard it said, "No one looks back on their life and wishes they had worked more. They wish they had spent more time with their family." (Or something like that.) Well that's how I feel.
Psalm 90:12 - So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
James 4:14 - Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Ephesians 5:16 - Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil
2. Being on facebook has caused me to crave accolades. I care way too much about what people think about what I post. How many likes did I get on the pictures I posted? Who commented on my witty status? Repeat ad nauseam every single day.
Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
John 12:43 - For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
2 Corinthians 5:9 - So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
3. I seriously lack self-control when I'm on facebook. Every single time I see my phone, I have the urge to check my facebook. Any likes? Any comments? I am compelled to look. It's like I don't even know how to sit at a stop light and just...wait. My hand automatically reaches for my phone to check, even though I'd just looked at it a minute before.
2 Peter 1:5-6 - For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness...
Proverbs 25:28 - A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law.
4. Facebook is an idol in my life. I give far more thought, attention, and time to what people are posting on facebook than I do to God. It's the first thing I look at when I wake up in the morning and it's the last thing I look at before I go to bed.
1 John 5:21 - Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 Corinthians 10:14 - Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Colossians 3:5 - Put to death therefore what is earthly in you...which is idolatry.
5. I feel convicted by the Holy Spirit to give it up. And I need to be obedient.
John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
Deuteronomy 6:18a - And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you.
Psalm 143:10 - Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
So there you have it. These are the official reasons why I'm giving facebook the boot. And while I'm not on facebook, my plan is to spend more time with God, more time with my children, and more time fostering relationships personally. I'm looking forward to not being privy to every little thing, including drama, complaining, political posts, stupid memes, swearing, and on and on. I will miss seeing pictures and updates of my friends, but hopefully we'll be able to stay in touch on Instagram.
Yes, I will still be on Instagram, and since I can already feel myself checking that more, I will be limiting my access to late at night after the kids are in bed.
The tl;dr version:
I'm giving up facebook for good because:
1. It's a waste of time.
2. I care too much what people think of me.
3. I have no self-control on it.
4. It's an idol in my life.
5. I feel convicted about it.
Several days ago I decided that I was going to completely delete my facebook account on May 31. A few years ago I had deactivated my account for exactly a year, and I loved being off it. It was refreshing to be out of the constant barrage of information. But, after much nagging from my friends, I got back on it. Now that I'm planning to go cold turkey, I am meeting some resistance, as expected. But I want to lay out the reasons that I am quitting facebook.
1. Facebook is a time suck. There are so many much more valuable things I could be doing than checking my newsfeed. Life is so fleeting, and I don't want to waste any more of it looking at social media. You've heard it said, "No one looks back on their life and wishes they had worked more. They wish they had spent more time with their family." (Or something like that.) Well that's how I feel.
Psalm 90:12 - So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
James 4:14 - Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Ephesians 5:16 - Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil
2. Being on facebook has caused me to crave accolades. I care way too much about what people think about what I post. How many likes did I get on the pictures I posted? Who commented on my witty status? Repeat ad nauseam every single day.
Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
John 12:43 - For they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
2 Corinthians 5:9 - So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
3. I seriously lack self-control when I'm on facebook. Every single time I see my phone, I have the urge to check my facebook. Any likes? Any comments? I am compelled to look. It's like I don't even know how to sit at a stop light and just...wait. My hand automatically reaches for my phone to check, even though I'd just looked at it a minute before.
2 Peter 1:5-6 - For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness...
Proverbs 25:28 - A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law.
4. Facebook is an idol in my life. I give far more thought, attention, and time to what people are posting on facebook than I do to God. It's the first thing I look at when I wake up in the morning and it's the last thing I look at before I go to bed.
1 John 5:21 - Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
1 Corinthians 10:14 - Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Colossians 3:5 - Put to death therefore what is earthly in you...which is idolatry.
5. I feel convicted by the Holy Spirit to give it up. And I need to be obedient.
John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
Deuteronomy 6:18a - And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you.
Psalm 143:10 - Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
So there you have it. These are the official reasons why I'm giving facebook the boot. And while I'm not on facebook, my plan is to spend more time with God, more time with my children, and more time fostering relationships personally. I'm looking forward to not being privy to every little thing, including drama, complaining, political posts, stupid memes, swearing, and on and on. I will miss seeing pictures and updates of my friends, but hopefully we'll be able to stay in touch on Instagram.
Yes, I will still be on Instagram, and since I can already feel myself checking that more, I will be limiting my access to late at night after the kids are in bed.
The tl;dr version:
I'm giving up facebook for good because:
1. It's a waste of time.
2. I care too much what people think of me.
3. I have no self-control on it.
4. It's an idol in my life.
5. I feel convicted about it.
#1 Reason...Obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. If we ask you to stay on, we are asking you to disobey God.
ReplyDelete