Finding Clarity: Breaking Free from the Noise of Social Media

• By candidasullivan
• January 11, 2025
• No Comments

I wondered what was wrong with me. My mind felt like a jumbled mess, and I felt anxious all the time without any reason. I dreaded my work and procrastinated in ridiculous ways. One morning, it took over twenty minutes for me to settle down long enough to write. 

I needed another cup of coffee, a snack, a trip to the bathroom, to put some clothes in the washer, and to check social media one more time. My heart raced when I finally settled into my chair, and a million more things swirled in my mind. 

How could I sit and write when I had so many things to do?

I knew I needed to focus, but I couldn’t get there. So, I scrolled social media. I watched people eat, share their struggles, and talk about their amazing lives. The following image was of someone working out, which made me feel a little twinge of guilt for skipping my workout that morning. Saying I didn’t have time to do it, as I wasted time, didn’t make sense.  

The process made me feel an array of emotions. Taking in so many opinions from other people, their habits, and advice made me confused and unsure of my own life. It also exhausted my brain. 

Writing is when I listen for the words of my Lord. But all I could think about was what she said and did. Other people’s lives consumed my mind. I couldn’t hear the Lord or my voice for the noise in my mind. 

I asked God to give me clarity and focus. 

Sometimes, what we want and what gives us are two entirely different things. I just wanted God to change things for me without me having to do anything to change. But God doesn’t work that way. He waited until I was at my breaking point, ready to receive it, before giving me the answer. 

Social media is your problem. 

A part of me wanted to argue. I wanted to cling tightly to my nightly scrolling time. Who am I kidding? It was an all-around process throughout my day. 

I scrolled while brushing my teeth, my coffee brewed, and even before reading my Bible. As soon as my eyes opened each morning, I invited everyone else’s thoughts and problems into my life. No wonder I felt so anxious and unproductive. 

So, I truly considered God’s words. I decided to go on a social media fast. It amazed me how many times I reached for my phone throughout my day and how many times I wanted to read about or watch other people’s lives. 

Then, God gave me another thought. And this one did it. 

Do you want to live your life or merely watch other people live their lives?

Whew! That one hurt. So, I leaned into the fasting process, asked God what I needed to do with my day and read my Bible with more intention. And when I sat down to write, I could hear God’s voice again.

My mind is clear, and I can focus and write for hours. Even when I’m not writing, I think about my next writing session or visualize my dreams. I’m also praying more and facing the things I don’t like about myself or my life. 

God gave me my dreams for a reason. They can either be a blessing in my life or a regret. And the beautiful part is that God allows me to choose. 

I have lived the same year, over and over, for years. I’ve stayed in the same spot and not accomplished the things in my heart to do because I was too afraid to follow God into deeper waters. I have spent my days tuned into the enemy’s agenda instead of God’s. 

But not anymore. I want to focus my eyes so deeply on God that I can’t even see or hear what the enemy is saying or doing. 

After almost two weeks of fasting, my life has already improved. I feel peaceful and hopeful, and I’m excited about my future. I can’t wait to see what God blesses me to write and share.

And if all of this feels confusing because you still see four posts a day from me on social media, I am still creating but not consuming. I just don’t scroll anymore, but I still check my comments and messages and make my daily posts. 

While this has been a problem for me, I understand that others can consume it without the same harmful effects. But is there something you are ignoring that you must change or fast from? It’s worth asking God. Sometimes, it’s hard to see the bigger picture when we are focused on the smaller one. 

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