My Social Media Dilemma
by Maxie Kamalski
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. To be honest, given my actions, I clearly love it. Being pseudo-connected to so many ‘friends’ makes me feel like I belong. I have this ability to know what’s going on with so many people that I know, without any engagement from my part beyond scrolling down a page online.
One thing I’ve realized however, and I know that I won’t be the first to say this, but sometimes social media awakens a dark side within me. It makes me compare myself to others. I look at other peoples’ happily published lives and I start comparing my own life to this standard. While we all know that this isn't always a very accurate display of real life on social media, who actually wants to share the dark side of yourself so publicly? And yet I continue to compare nonetheless, asking unhelpful questions such as ‘Why am I not so happy, beautiful, adventurous, fit, informed, opinionated or fill in the blank?’
Instead of being able to be content with my own life and celebrate that with others, jealously grows inside me. Lately, I’ve been wondering why that is. After much thought, I slowly began to realize that I’m able to celebrate with someone who excels at something that I have no interest in being good at, such as maths or science, but life, now that’s something I want to be ‘good’ at! I want to live the best kind of life, and so when someone else seemingly is doing that well, I naturally compare.
And yet, God made us unique. He didn't make us to compare. He made us to live each life as He intended, uniquely yourself. Each of us has a beautiful life to live. Thus, I need to choose to either eliminate things that do not stir contentment and excitement about the life God has give me, even if it has its imperfections, bumps, difficulties and hurt all along the way. It’s in the midst of this choice that God reminds me of His words in Romans 8:28 that “He works out all things for the good of those who love Him.”
Shifting my focus from what I have not, to what I have, has become the key. Focusing on God and His goodness in my life helps me to celebrate Him not only in my own life, but in those around me.
This week, celebrate the life God has given you – it frees you to celebrate the lives of those around you as well.