7 Life-Changing Benefits From a Social Media Detox

I had several reasons (and wonderful benefits) from my SM hiatus— unbecoming who I wasn’t, growing out of an old season, rekindling my love affair with Jesus❤️, redefining my purpose, and many more! Here are a few other things I was able to accomplish during my time from social media:

1. I was able to refine my God-given purpose without the interference of being side-tracked by others’ purposes. During my hiatus, I had the opportunity to re-explore and refine my God given purpose. I have learned that with life, you can do a lot of “good” things but often times it isn’t the “right” thing. God is a God of PURPOSE and in every season He has appropriated a specific purpose for His children, if we would simply ‘still’ ourselves to hear it. It was a season for me to (literally) move away from whatever might distract me from my lane and divine purpose so I can recenter on a Kingdom focus.
2. I learned how to become insignificant in the eyes of man for the purpose of becoming significant in the sight of God. Another benefit was learning to give myself permission to break away and become insignificant in the eyes of man, in order to become significant in the eyes of God. That’s a deep one for me that I hope to unpack later, but here’s a thought: Paul said all things are ‘permissible’, but not all things are ‘beneficial’ and Jesus told Martha “only one thing is necessary and Mary (who chose to sit at the feet of Jesus) has chosen what is best.”
   I have discovered that it is never easy to walk away from something or (someone) that gives you a “sense” of significance. However, what one is unwilling to walk away from, has mastered him. My break has given me the wisdom to confront all false senses of significance, and to place my significance where it belongs—in Christ alone. My focus has shifted and my primary purpose in this season, is the help build those in the body of Christ who are serious about growing in their walk with God, and living the Kingdom life God has promised us!
3. I was able to recommit to my spiritual disciplines.“ No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he might please the one who enlisted him” (2 Tim 2:4). The word “entangles” gives reference to becoming “so entwined in an activity that it interferes with other activities or objectives.” As a believer, my first and only priority is pleasing God. And I realized that for where He is taking me (and you) it demands a deeper level of consecration than that found in the life of the shallow Christian. I’ve spent more time in the presence of God over the last three years than I have probably spent in my life, and my life is absolutely the better for it. Super-Saint? No. More focused on pleasing the one who enlisted me as His soldier? Yes! Spiritual disciplines (reading the Word, fasting, prayer, tongues, ‘waiting on God’, etc.) are to the spiritual life what food and exercise are to the natural life. We don’t do them to “earn” God, but because we love Him and want to know Him more.
4. I had the space to do a heart check! Don’t Sell Your Soul for a Lead Role! It’s Impossible to help transform a culture you’re enslaved to! How does social media enslave the Christian? Vanity—the love of and overestimation of self/flesh. Breeds Discontent—creates dissatisfaction with one’s own blessings. Fosters Idolatry—or the OBSESSION with materialism, ego, “celebrities”, vanity, etc., and takes the place of God in one’s life. Social media isn’t *real*, but God is! And He knocks at the doors of your heart, seeking to come in and fill all the voids that this world can’t give you. I promise you this—A social media detox + a renewed devotion to Him—will change your life!
5. To obtain greater mental peace. Whether you realize it or not, your attention is valuable! That’s why advertisers pay billions upon billions of dollars every single year just to get it. And because we fail to realize just how valuable our attention is, we give it away to anyone and anything. What exactly is your attention worth? As the saying goes: “Where your attention goes, your energy flows.” You may not realize how valuable your attention is but everyone knows just how valuable energy is! Social media is fighting for your attention. It is fighting for your energy. It is fighting for your time. It is fighting for your money. It is fighting for your focus. It is fighting for your mind. The enemy wants to scatter your focus. When he scatters our focus we become aimless, confused, insecure, people pleasing, and devoid of peace.
   Reasons 6 & 7 on the way!