14d • General discussion
Devotional: Who’s Using Who?
The other day, I caught myself doing something I’ve done more times than I’d like to admit.
I picked up my phone just to “check something real quick.” Maybe a notification. Maybe a message. Maybe just a quick scroll. And before I knew it, I was sitting there wondering, what did I even just do with that time?
That’s when the question hit me:
Am I using social media… or is it using me?
As I sat there thinking about it, something else came to mind. When I look at my kids, I don’t see the same pull. They’re not drawn to it the way I can be. They don’t seem to need it. And that got me thinking—why is that?
I grew up when social media was new. It felt like connection, opportunity, even a way to be seen. But they grew up watching it differently. They’ve seen the time it takes, the distractions it brings, and maybe even the way it can quietly pull at your attention. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized this isn’t just about generations.
It’s about the heart.
Because if I’m being honest, sometimes it’s not about checking a message or seeing what’s new. Sometimes there’s something deeper going on. A desire to feel seen. To feel valued. To feel like what I say matters. And social media can give a quick version of that—but it never fully satisfies.
That’s why this Scripture hits so clearly:
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”
— Galatians 1:10 (NLT)
When I read that, it reminds me that every time I start looking for approval from people, I drift away from resting in who I already am in Christ.
Now, social media itself isn’t the problem. It can be used for good—for encouragement, for sharing truth, for building others up. But it becomes a problem when something meant to be a tool starts to take control.
Paul said it this way:
“I must not become a slave to anything.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NLT)
And that’s a strong word—slave. But anything that starts controlling my time, my attention, or even my emotions is stepping into a place it was never meant to have.
So instead of asking whether I should get rid of it, I’ve started asking a better question: Is my heart in the right place when I use it?
Because God already gave me the filter:
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.”
— Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
Which means I don’t just open an app without thinking. I pause. I ask myself, am I about to use this… or let it use me?
And I won’t pretend I get it right every time. There are still moments I drift. But I’m learning to catch it quicker, to step away sooner, and to refocus on what really matters.
Because at the end of the day, my worth isn’t found in a screen. My value isn’t determined by a response. I’m already seen, already known, and already loved by God.
And that changes how I show up—online and everywhere else.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for loving me fully and completely, not because of what I do, but because of who I am in You. Forgive me for the times I’ve looked to the world for validation instead of resting in Your truth.
Help me to be mindful with my time and my attention. Give me wisdom to use social media in a way that honors You, and the discipline to step away when it begins to pull at my heart.
Remind me daily that I am already seen, already known, and already loved by You. Let everything I do—even online—reflect Your goodness and Your truth.
And when I drift, gently bring me back.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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Devotional: Who’s Using Who?
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