Creating more time to do His works during Lent

Over a year ago I stumbled upon a blog post written by a friend of a friend from my college days. The post was titled "Facebook Hospitality" and it made me think really hard for a day or two about my use of Facebook and how it effects others and how others use of Facebook effects me. However after a few days the thoughts it stirred up inside me faded.

Fast forward to this year. I have struggled for awhile feeling confident in my relationships. I have never really had close friends. I was always on the outskirts of the "group". I even struggled to maintain a close roommate in college. When we moved here I was determined to have a close knit community since I was so far away from my family I knew I needed this but it has yet to become a reality. Social media does not help me with these feelings. It instead stirs up thoughts of inadequacy, jealousy, abandonment, greed, sadness and sometimes anger. None of these thoughts are good and all of it can be avoided. 

For lent this year I have decided to give up Facebook. Not because I want to challenge myself or give up something I really like but because I want to draw closer to God, free up time to read His word more, free up time to do things for His kingdom. Facebook and other websites can suck me in so quickly and I have lost all of nap time or all of the evening to nothing but mindless browsing and thinking. I want to evaluate how I use social media and how I perceive others use of social media. I want to be intentional about my relationships with others and I want to seek God's guidance.

I hope to spend some time writing more, reading more, experiencing life with Joel and Phil. I want to be in the moment for me and for my creator whom I live to serve.

I will leave you with a quote from the blog, Environments of Grace, that inspired my Lenten sacrifice.

"Instead of first deciding what to give up, I want to decide what God wants me to DO….and what I have to say no to in order to do it. For this is the heart of fasting. Denying our flesh in order to feast on the Lord. To seek him. To listen to him. To be more available to him. May these Lenten days find us seeking new ways of living. Saying yes to what God puts before us. Denying old ways that dominate our resources. Doing without the things that distract us."

I hope you will join me this Lenten season and give up something that allows you to do more for His kingdom.