I have had a lot of conversations in the last few years about the emotional struggles which are proportionally amplified by the amount of time one spends scrolling through social media. We see the new houses, the new cars, the big vacations and feel our life, by comparison, is somehow less than. We actually do not look as good, have as much fun, enjoy as much comfort and on and on. And if we are not careful this mindset will rob us of the joy of the blessings we do have. Ultimately, I believe, this struggle is rooted in the fact that these feelings exploit our own personal brokenness.

We are all broken people. We have struggles, whether emotional, spiritual, or physical. Some struggles are a result of our genetics, while others related to lifestyle, poor decisions, random circumstances or abuse we have received. But, as it is with the previous thirty-three topics in this blog series, if we do not filter our brokenness through the truth of the Gospel it will knock our focus completely out of phase.

So, other than limiting – if not altogether stopping – social media, how do we deal with our brokenness in a way that allows us to maintain our focus.

1) By taking every thought captive. – The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:5 We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (Berean Standard Version). I have read may studies over the years about how easily it is to slip into thought patterns that are chronically negative, some studies call these Brain Ruts. When we find our mind routinely focusing on what we lack instead of the blessings we have, our focus will soon be routinely out of phase.

2) As one of my grandmother’s favorite hymns reminds us, count your blessings. When we view our brokenness through the lens of the Gospel the areas of our lives that make us feel weak, inadequate, or even shame, will serve to remind ourselves that God is our Strength, our Provider, our Protector, and so much more.

Not only that, but we are now able to recognize the same struggle in others and speak life into them. In other words, in Christ we have the ability to keep our brokenness in phase. This in turn no longer drags us down but motivates us driving us full bore into our most impactful Kingdom work.