It happens every year. The posts start that someone is giving up Social Media for Lent. Every year I struggle with their decision and mine. But, there was one post that would alter my life forever!
My purpose in using Social Media has changed over the years but especially Facebook. Twitter and Plurk were the great tools I needed to reignite my Spiritual Journey. I will forever be in debt to the people I learned of and from on those platforms. I rarely use either now for numerous reasons, but most are friends on Facebook.
I vividly remember the year a person, from whom I receive great spiritual inspiration, announced he was giving up FB for Lent. I still remember the utter disappointment that I felt, even though, I, too, was contemplating the same. It was like a “sacrifice” was being forced on me and not a sacrifice that was for my good! How could he do that? How could he deprive us of his wisdom and encouragement at a time when we needed it most?
The 2 things that arose from his announcement was a more contemplative way for me to determine whether to give up FB for Lent or not, and, an awakening to my true selfishness.
I determined that to answer the question to give up or not , I needed to ascertain how, in that particular year, I had been using FB. Some years there was a lot going on with the family, so .. no, I needed to stay. Some years I spent more time debating with others than I should have, so… yes. Each year, I think about where I am at that moment in my Spiritual Journey and how much I am learning from or being encouraged or inspired by my “friends” vs how much I am distracted in serving Him and His people. I ask myself if I would be actually depriving my self of good instead of giving up something I either enjoy or that is harming my relationship with God. Some years, yes. Some years, no. Some years, I determine to just modify my usage.
But, the huge eye opener, when I read the announcement from my friend that he would not be on FB that Lent, was just how selfish and self-centered I still was. When I read the announcement, I only thought of myself, what I would be missing, how it effected ME. Instead of thinking about who he was, his needs (both physical and spiritual), the demands on his time. I only reacted to the impact on me. It took everything within me to not beg him to stay. I even went so far as to feel indignant and think how selfish of him not to consider our needs.
When that last thought crossed my mind, it was like someone held off and slapped me HARD in the face. I felt so ashamed and guilty. I wanted to apologize to him even though he would have no idea why.
But, once again, God took my bad and made it good. He took a situation with a FB post and changed my entire way of thinking in life itself. It was at that moment I determined that I would ALWAYS try to consider the other person in EVERY situation. I was, and am still, resolved that I will think about what that person is going through, why they could have possibly made decisions that they did, what impact their decisions might have on their own life and the struggle they may have been faced with to make that decision, what support they may need from me, how I could pray for them, and what lesson I could learn from them and their decisions.
I hate to say that I sometimes still react selfishly, but then God will remind me of “the announcement” and bring me back to His reality. That announcement will always be my anchor to putting others and their needs first!
blessedadorer 