A few weeks ago, I made the decision to kind of leave facebook. (I’m still using it for occasional posts and a few groups, but not scrolling through my newsfeed). Since then I’ve experienced such a sense of freedom and joy.
Social media really is a sticky web. Dopamine hits give you a brief high, and draw you in for more. But like any addiction, it’s not happiness.
I stuck at fb for a while, because I love to write, and share the Gospel with others. And it worked for that purpose, at least at first. There were a few people who read my posts, and along with some other signposts, found their way to Jesus. There were lots who unfollowed or unfriended, and some who stuck around to argue.
It had served it’s purpose, but I kept at it, because how else would I share? In person it’s different, a seed planted here, a seed planted there. Perhaps you can relate if you have a lot of non-believers in your life, but it’s kind of slow, and often frustrating.
It’s only when I stepped away from FB that I realised how much was coming from my flesh and not from the spirit.
And when I stepped away I really felt that desperation. All these non-believers in my life. And I started praying for them.
Jesus took the heavy burden of trying to ‘convert’ people, of trying to use my own strength to get them to see the truth. As Paul says in Romans 1:20, it’s clear from looking at creation that there is a creator. ‘For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.’
God is visible in the natural world, and if people choose not to believe, no amount of words are going to convince them otherwise. And it’s not my job, but the job of the Holy Spirit.
‘For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:18.
To some people the word of the cross just sounds silly, and there’s no way of wording it that will help them see otherwise if they’re unwilling.
Only God can soften a hard heart.
There’s no point in continuing to argue with those that disagree. As Matthew 7:6 says, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.’
And when the conversation’s over it’s time to dust off our feet and leave. As Jesus said, ‘If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.’ Matthew 10:14
How liberating and joyful it is to be free! And in that space of wanting to share, I have found extra time to pray for non-believers instead of being stuck focusing on trying to convert them.
Because I have a strong desire to share the Gospel, and many frustrating, fruitless conversations online, I’ve prayed to God, ‘‘please show me how, please just let one person come to believe or just some indication, that this is what I’m meant to be doing.’’
A while back I started a different blog to speak to the people who didn’t really question the whole COVID situation, and have a more mainstream perspective. A week or so ago I wrote a post and shared it on Linkedin along with my testimony. One of my Linkedin contacts wrote me a message to say I’d opened her eyes to a lot of things, and that she didn’t know that meditation was dangerous.
That was all I needed. Just some hope that the one lost sheep might find their way.
I don’t go on Twitter very often, especially since the cute bird logo was replaced with a satanic X, but the other day I went on for a few minutes and happened to follow a truther who’d I’d seen in an interview with a while back. She tweeted something about how she thought that 5D ascension had already happened, and I replied that I thought that it was all a massive spiritual deception.
She tweeted back that she was actually interested to hear more! So I sent her some links and she was really open to it all, and actually had a Christian friend who had been speaking to her along similar lines.
Both of these encounters were effortless on my part. I didn’t have to get in debates or post frequently and respond to loads of comments. The positive ones are lovely, but it’s still time consuming, and it can still pander to the ego.
These messages gave me hope that I can just let go until the Holy Spirit prompts, and not try and force things.
The dopamine hit tempts me to think, oh I should spend more time on Twitter, or more time on Linkedin.
But actually, it’s not about repeating. But creating space.
Less talking online less consuming. More stepping back, more prayer.
If God wants something to happen, it’s going to happen. Sometimes he uses people, but we don’t have to force it in our own strength.
Instead we can lay down our heavy burdens and rest in our relationship with him.
And that is where the true joy is.