What happens when you Facebook binge
Our lives may be all around pretty good: loving families, deep friendships and jobs that pay the bills. But get on Facebook, and sadness hits us like a wave. Compared to your college roommate’s promotion, a friend’s hot date, and a coworker’s witty commentary, life suddenly seems boring.
It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people. If only we had more friends and followers. If only our photos depicted a life as stunning and adventurous as others’ photos. We want to be like them because they’ve got something we don’t: the appearance of a perfect life.
Stop Faking It
Social media can turn into a prison, where we feel we must do everything like everyone else to fit into expectations. Or, it turns into a mask to hide who we really are.
Most of us only post the best parts of our day or our week. So when you’re comparing your life to someone else's Facebook profile, you’re comparing your real life to their highlight reel. Everyone’s got highs and lows, joys and frustrations, but few of us want to post about the heavy, uncomfortable, less than glamorous moments. We’d rather let everyone believe everything is OK.
When you’re comparing your life to someone else's Facebook profile, you’re comparing your real life to their highlight reel.
God doesn’t care about perfect appearances. He loves us regardless of how others think about us. Jesus values when we’re honest with others because the truth is more important than our agendas. We find our identity and validation in Jesus, so we don’t have to be concerned with how people see us (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Start Changing How We Connect
The best way to use Facebook and the rest isn’t to create alter egos for ourselves but to be honest with the relationships we already have. Instead of asking, “How can I make my life look better online?” we should be asking, “How can I live better in real life?”
A social media profile may show snapshots of our lives, but it can never fully capture who a person is. Why don’t we stop trying to look perfect and help others see that what matters is knowing God and finding our identity in Him (Proverbs 31:30)?
You are more than your Facebook profile. Don’t be afraid to live like it.