So there’s been a LOT of discussion over the past few weeks about social media, more specifically Instagram & how harmful it can end up being for people because it’s very easy to fall into the trap of comparison. I’ve seen posts from Christian circles as well as a lot of bloggers & Youtubers that I follow.
https://twitter.com/KalynNicholson/status/956186346707566592
Now, I’m going, to be honest here, growing up I was told by my parents, pastors & other family members that the things I should be posting should only be positive. The reasons given were because you don’t want to stir up drama, you don’t want to look as if you’re begging for attention, & ultimately you want it to be a good representation of who you are & who Christ is. I completely understand that there are certain things that just don’t belong on social media, but I also find it difficult to navigate because we’ve all been conditioned & really taught to only post positive things & now we’re being told that posting too many positive things can be a negative because it makes people feel bad about themselves, or their lives. I’ll be honest, sometimes I feel like we care WAY too much about other people’s lives & if we just chose to focus on ourselves this wouldn’t even be an issue, but that’s not real life is it? So what do we do? How can we change this narrative? Well first, I think we need to check our own hearts, we need to deal with the issues of comparison & figure out the root cause of this issue. Second, some people feel the need to unfollow people that cause them to have these feelings of comparison, some also feel the need to come away from social media altogether & if you’re feeling that this is what you need to do, then go for it. I promise you, you really won’t miss that much anyway. The third thing I believe we need to do is to ask ourselves some questions as to why we’re posting & what our motive truly is? Some ways we can stand out are by sharing some encouragement, sharing some of your struggles, not putting a caption at all, or maybe just share because you want too. I’ve been really blessed the past few months to have found a community of bloggers & Christian girls who really want to make a difference with their social media & it’s super refreshing to see. Your Instagram doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be aesthetic, & you don’t have to have a theme, post what you want. I really want to make this a point as well, if you want to post pretty pictures & only the best parts of your life you’re 100% allowed to do that. It really isn’t up to us to control what other people are feeling, or doing, we’re ultimately responsible for ourselves & so if you feel like I post fill in the blank because I want to & I like it & it makes me happy then do it. I just thought it would be helpful to share some tips on how we can make an impact & help people see that no one is perfect & it’s really okay not to be. We’re all a work in progress & to be honest with all of you I’ve come to treat Instagram specifically like a magazine I know that 95% of these photos are staged & that the celebrities on the platform are trying to sell me a specific lifestyle & just because my life doesn’t look like theirs doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with me. One of the reasons I love Instagram & I really love posting the happy moments in my life is because I can go back & remember them & be reminded of all the good times I’ve had. So please however you post on social media, remember that you are loved & you don’t have to have everything together all the time because we’re all on a different journey & nobody has it together 100% of the time.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
James 3:16
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Colossians 3:2
She Laughs Mission 
Great post. The comparison trap is everywhere but social media has brought it to our finger tips, making it much easier to fall into the trap. Many are discovering how harmful comparison can be and yes, we need to do some heart searching to figure our posting motives out. Most posts on social media may not even be a true reflection of the poster.
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Comparison is such a sneaky, ugly trap. I’m glad our Lord doesn’t compare us but simply desires “all.” Great verses. Visiting via By His Grace.
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A great reminder to me to use my social media for ministry, not just marketing. Thanks
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comparison isn’t just a trap on social media… its been a trap since the garden! great post!
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This is an awesome post!! And so timely for me – I literally just released a post today about how and why I quit Instagram and the changes it’s caused in me. I agree 100% with what you said about taking ownership over ourselves and our motives – we can’t worry about how our posts will be perceived by other people; what we have to focus on is making sure our own heart motivations are right and pure in what we post. That was the part that I just couldn’t get right – I think I was “tricking myself” into thinking my motivations were good, when in reality I was just posting because I wanted to enter into the comparison game and “show off” whatever was going on in my world to others. NOT a pretty thing to admit to yourself – but once God revealed it to me and convicted me of it, He helped me see that the answer for me was just to step away completely. Everyone should do what’s right for them, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit! Thanks for sharing this!
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It makes me so sad to see others who feel like they need to keep up with what they see on social media. Be content with what God has blessed you with.
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This is a great reminder! Since I’m on social media so often for work, I find I don’t ever really want to be on it for personal use anymore. Which has been a blessing I didn’t see coming when I first realized how often I would need to network online!
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Such a good reminder for me! Thanks for sharing!
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Its so easy to fall into that “grass is greener”mindset. Instagram is definitely one of those places where everyone tries to showcase their best and portray this lifestyle that doesn’t quite add up to their own. As children of God, its important that we remember that we were FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made! And God loves us even in the midst of our mess! We don’t have to try to live up to insane standards or unrealistic lifestyles, we just have to live life according to God’s will, and remember that we were created for HIS purpose!
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This is so timely. I literally just deleted my instagram this morning because I felt that I was getting distracted. I’m a blogger and I recently got in the trap of comparing my feed to other blogger’s feeds, I spent so much time trying to make my page look like everyone else’s feed and being disappointed when it doesn’t work out that way. The Lord reminded me that the blog and my instagram are all for His glory so I should focus my attention on Him and not compare myself with others.
“Your Instagram doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be aesthetic, & you don’t have to have a theme, post what you want.” This statement is liberating, thank you so much for sharing this.
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