I broke up with social media. Well…almost! I still share content on Pinterest and Youtube, but I’ve stopped using Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin (actually I never used it much anyway haha) and Twitter.

There are 8 main reasons for this, but in this post I want to share two common misconceptions regarding leaving social media (SM), seven questions to ponder in prayer, and a short testimony.

2 Common Misconceptions About Not Using SM 

1. Just because you’re not on social media platforms, does not mean you’re cutting yourself off from social connection

As an author, blogger and podcaster, I want to keep connecting to readers and listeners. It’s just that instead of using social media, I’m choosing to use my blog newsletter (and my author newsletter), my website, and my podcast. (The latter of which is why I’m still on YouTube!)

Also, as a friend/family member I want to keep connecting with others through WhatsApp, email and Zoom. 

2. Leaving social media is not a judgemental call on other people’s decision regarding social media use

I’ve felt God show me to break up with SM, and I’d love it if more people felt free to leave (because for some, staying on is motivated by fear or habit). 

Yet, at the same time, I do believe God calls some people to use social media to share truth and to connect with others, and He has given them special grace to do so. 

In fact, though I’ve reduced it a lot, as I mentioned above, I haven’t left completely. I upload the podcast episodes onto YouTube and I still pin images to Pinterest (albeit on my blog and other websites, rather than on the platform itself!). 

Having said all that, I’d like to share some questions that you can prayerfully consider when it comes to your own social media use.

7 Questions To Pray About In Relation To Social Media

1. Why am I on social media? Is this God’s calling or is it “culture following”? 

2. What are my motivations on social media?

3. Does my use of social media drive me toward God or away from Him?

4. Is social media distracting me from my God-given responsibilities?

5. Is social media distracting me from spending time with my heavenly Father?

6. Do I fear what will happen if I don’t use social media?

7. Am I able to go a day without logging on?

Now, as I mentioned before, God calls some people to use social media. That might be you!

Even if that’s the case, though, it’s never God’s will for us to use social media in fear, idolatry, vanity, addiction, curation of content to attract engagement, etc. 

If you feel God has called you to be active on the platforms but you know that you’ve had some sin issues regarding social media, there’s grace for you. Pray, repent and ask God to fill you with His Spirit and enable you to walk with Him. Then thank Him for your righteousness in Jesus, by whose blood you are cleansed and set free. 

A Short Testimony

One of the main reasons I broke up with social media was that the more I used it, the less able I was to focus on God’s word and prayer.

Not that I didn’t pray or read the word. In fact, I always read the Bible and prayed before going anywhere near my phone in the morning! It’s just that I noticed that using social media was not beneficial to two aspects of my spiritual life: deep meditation on Scripture and focused prayer. 

In other words, social media use (probably due to both the speed of content and the instant gratification dopamine spikes) was hindering my concentration in prayer and Bible study. And because my heart is to pursue God’s Kingdom first, I knew I had to let go. 

Actually, when I think back to when I wrote my book Impact: Gospel Hope For Every Woman, I remember I also had to reduce social media so that I could study the Bible deeply.  The problem was that after publishing Impact, I felt I had to promote it on social media (another fear-based misconception!) and so I began using it more again. 

Anyway, if you’d like to chat to me about SM and/or ask for prayer, please feel free to contact me! I’d love to hear from you!