I confess! I was checking my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts multiple times an hour for several days. I was very excessive in pulling my phone out of my pocket and checking for status alerts.
Then, I finally got fed up with it!
On a Sunday night, I turned off my lights, turned off my TV and my phone, and I prayed. I asked the Lord to not only forgive me for what was excessive use of tools, but also to help me throughout the week do the unthinkable…take a social media break.
Taking A Break
That was the beginning of what would be a long week of just prayer and fasting and seeking the Lord…without social media. And guess what, I survived! And to be honest, I finally found myself paying attention to the world around me and the God who created it.
Also, the benefits were great! No posting thoughtful or comedic commentary on life! No cultural, political and social rants. Just peace and quiet away from the pings and dings of my social media channels.
A week away from social media made a huge difference in my faith walk and even on my social life. I called friends rather than just texting and messaging them via social media channels. I actually spent more time in conversations that featured eye to eye contact at a more consistent rate. I even felt more relaxed because I didn’t allow myself to get wrapped up in posts and tweets filled with excessive amounts of commentary that were either out of context or unnecessary.
It was a week full of meaningful time with the Lord and in turn created a lot of growth and realization as to what could happen when I actually sacrifice my tech from time to time.
Chris Wilson says
Do you feel like a week was enough time away? Also did you take a break from Email during that time? (I don’t know if you/I consider that social media). I’ve done short fasts before and I’ve often dropped one network for a while to see how that made me feel (and if it provided value for my life). I usually find that there is value in social media, and that taking a break helps me to appreciate NOT being on all the time, but when I come back, I also see how it can be good. I think it’s something that a well considered and intentional use is a very good thing.
Eric Dye says
I’ve found that just stepping away from ALL e-communications every Sunday has done me well these past few months. I haven’t done it on purpose, it’s just worked out that way.