If you’ve followed me on social media, especially Instagram, for any amount of time within the last few years you’ll know I speak heavily on topics surrounding boundaries with technology, taking one day a week to rest and delight (aka, a Sabbath), being away from online spaces for a purposeful and extended period of time, turning off phones and screens, and the like. Now I do have an episode in the first season about Screen Time and Sabbath, so go check that out, but I’m here in this episode to hopefully give more insight into the topic of what not being on social media has done to my well-being while also give practical tips and steps to living a life saturated in quiet. And as the title even hints at, a lifestyle that is quieter than most of the world. The quiet life that Jesus teaches on and models so so well.
Jesus taught and modeled how to slip away and simply be with His Father – who is also our Father. Jesus taught and modeled the rhythms of work and rest, of being with people and simply being by himself (and again, mostly to be with his Father). Jesus taught and modeled these things so often and so well that his disciples began to teach and model it well even after Jesus left for Heaven. Some of Jesus’ disciples wrote these words:
- “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life…” 1 Thess. 4:11
- “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” a prayer in 1 Tim 2:2
- “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment…Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4.
And I don’t think they were just written for the culture they lived in or the time period. If they were, the Bible would have no relevance to us. So what if Jesus knew that his disciples (and us included) would struggle with hustling and filling our days until the end of time? What if God knew from the very beginning that we would be fighting the battle of striving for perfection and proving ourselves and endlessly working for something – anything – that we believe would satisfy us?
A little insight, the answer is yes. Yes, God did know that we would struggle – everyday – with the lies about hustling & making our voice heard, the need to gain others approval, the striving for more.
Therefore, he created moments of rest. He wove them into the very fabric of life thousands of years ago. The Sabbath, for example, was created by God alone during the week of creation. Genesis 2:2-3 says, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
And if we look a little deeper into the actual text during creation, it says “And there was evening, and there was morning – the ____ day”. God began manufacturing rhythms into the world which he called “days” by beginning with evening, nighttime, a time to stop and rest and sleep. God created the world into resting, and from a place of rest. And in ancient times, the Sabbath began at sundown, not Sunday morning. It actually began Friday at dusk and lasted through dusk on Saturday.
Practical ideas for you if you’re still on social media: figure out the reason, the plan, how you want to fill your time, reflect and decide how you want to re-enter back into the world of social media. So 5 things. Let me give a brief overview of each.
- the reason.
- What’s pulling on your heart to get off social media? What is keeping you on social media? Basically the reason behind it.
- the plan.
- make a plan to declutter your online world: emails, subscriptions, social media, followers/following, unfollow most accounts
- Is social media part of your business or ministry? Create ways to automate systems like emails instead of posting
- Dumb down your phone – no notifications, limit the amount of apps
- your time.
- How do you want to fill your time?
- Reflect. After 1 or 2 weeks if your break is extended or after a few weeks of turning off your phone once a week.
- Asking yourself: How is it going?
- “Seeing the world” is such a new concept. The first car was invented not even 100 years ago and now we can literally go anywhere, virtually. Reflect on how less stimulated you feel, what things did you see in real life? What did you feel? How did you spend your time?
- Moving forward: entering back into the online world
- Start slow. Turn on your phone and leave it in a drawer for another hour and then pick it up.
- Ask yourself: how does logging back into social media apps make me feel: anxious, excited, nervous, happy?
If you want to learn more about how these ancient practices still affect us today and practical steps on how to take time off social media, tune into the episode!