I Hate Social Media

It’s true. I really do not like social media. Several years ago the Holy Spirit invited me to say “no” to all forms of it. He was working in me, and social media was an area of my life that God wanted to do some renovation. Sports was the other, but that’s for another day. So, I responded by deleting my accounts. Instagram? A stumbling block. Facebook? A mask. What was formerly known as Twitter? Never posted anyways. Snapchat? Waste of time.

Truthfully, I still feel the same way towards these platforms. I left social media with no intention of getting back on… ever! I thought it had run its course in my life. I loved what God was doing inside of me. I also loved the freedom I was experiencing. Social media has a way of mastering people. You can quickly become a slave to it. And in my humble opinion, whether people can admit it or not, most are in slavery to it. Too strong of language? Maybe. But I don’t really care about that right now. Because if it is true, if many are enslaved by it, then they need to be set free. No part of me wants to put the shackles back on. But too many people need to be shown the keys to life and freedom. And in some way, that is what I hope to do in my return to Instagram.

I believe that social media, like all human invention, has potential for good. When God placed Adam in the garden, and then created Eve from his side, He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. He also gave them dominion over creation. In a physical sense, being fruitful and multiplying meant making babies. Having dominion over creation meant working alongside God to bring out the full potential that was latent in creation. In a spiritual sense, being fruitful and multiplying meant spreading God’s image, the very thing we were created to represent, all over the world. Our dominion over creation was to bring God glory through His creation by discovering all the good that is present in it.

We know how that went. Very quickly, the decision of Adam and Eve to disobey God brought all sorts of evil, and sin, into the world. We have the potential for good and evil. At times we get it right. Advancement in medicine and healthcare have given children the opportunity to live a long and healthy life that would have otherwise been lost to disease from the moment they took their first breath, or even before. Yet, we see the evil side of it as well when methods are developed to murder a baby inside a woman’s body. We get it right when technology allows us to communicate with family and friends while living hundreds or thousands of miles away. Then evil turns its head when these same devices are used as a sick tool to give a momentary rush to people stuck in pornographic addictions. Another reason I hate social media. It is a breeding ground for lust. But I digress.

Robert Mulholland Jr. said in Invitation to a Journey, “We become either agents of God’s healing and liberating grace or carriers of the sickness of the world.” The same is true in social media. I want to be an agent of God’s healing and liberating grace here on Instagram.

In the earlier stages of my “being off social media,” I could only see these platforms as a breeding ground for evil. There are buttons, pages, and searches I avoid so that I am not led into sin. However, I can also see the good that can come from these platforms. I see the ways in which other followers of Jesus are using these platforms to bring honor and glory to Him. That is the crowd I want to be a part of. It is for this reason I am back on Instagram.

Except, I might not be back in the way you are thinking. I have a beautiful wife, three amazing kids, and I enjoy my life. You just won’t be seeing any of that here. Not because I have something to hide. Not because I don’t want you to see or hear updates from my life and family. And not because I’m against any of that. It’s just not the purpose for this page. The reality is my wife and kids would produce some pretty amazing content. They are much more entertaining than I am. Trust me. But this page exists so that I can live into the calling and purpose that God has placed on my life. I don’t care how many followers I have. What I care about is what my followers, whether one or one million, are becoming. Therefore, any content that comes from this page will have that end in mind. My prayer is that you are influenced, developed, and encouraged as you pursue holiness. If holiness is a new word for you, then think of it this way: I want you to become more like Jesus. I want the Holy Spirit to do the same work in you that He is doing in me. I want you to cultivate a perfect love for our Father in heaven and your neighbors around you. I want you to be all that Jesus has made you to be in this world. That, and so much more, is holiness.

You might be wondering what the three letters stand for at the end of my handle. “AYW” stands for “Are You Willing?”. The Holy Spirit has asked me this question on a few occasions now. Each time it was to form me more into the image of Christ. God wants to make us holy. But He only does so as we partner with Him in the work. We are, by His good design, free agents. We can allow Him to work in us, or we can resist. We really only have these two options. As I see it, the Holy Spirit asks us all the time, “Eric (or put your name here), are you willing?” He wants to work in us. He wants to form us. He wants to use us. But He will not do it without your participation.

Maybe God is asking you the same question right now.

Are you willing to put your faith in Jesus?

Are you willing to trust more fully in the Word of God by living by it?

Are you willing to give up that thing that is causing you physical, emotional, or spiritual harm?

Are you willing to let me heal you from that past hurt?

Are you willing to share Jesus with that stranger?

Are you willing to go anywhere, do anything, or say whatever God is asking of you?

The list of questions can be endless. Our response can only be one of two: yes or no. I want to keep saying “yes” when God asks me, “Eric, are you willing to ______?” What about you?

Are you willing?