Are You Addicted to Social Media?

Social media has impacted the world in many positive ways. It may sound funny, but a lot of us have not only become dependent, but straight out addicted to our social media sites  - and this may be a more serious issue than we want to admit.

Let's think about this. Addictions help fill a need, or calm an anxiety. Addictions even sometimes become a way to avoid immediate problems. When using social media becomes an addiction, surfing the web releases tension and feels good and causes a person to grow physically dependent on getting a daily "fix" in order to continue through daily life. Just like a substance addiction, social media addictions progress and we can find ourselves using it more and more.

Are You Addicted to Social Media? 

• Social media addicts spend every waking moment checking for updates, chatting online, posting updates, and checking the latest postings of others.
• Social media addicts spend 2 or more hours at a time on social media websites.
• Social media addicts eventually progress to cancelling more and more activities with family and friends to spend time on their internet capable devices.
• Social media addicts carry their internet capable devices with them everywhere they go.
• Social media addicts feel anxious or ill when they cannot get on the internet or if a favorite social media website is down. 
• Social media addicts feel the need to post continuous statuses and pictures of everything that they do and have for others to see. 
• Social media addicts browse and "snoop" on pages of those that are not their "friends" or "followers" 

When spending so much time on the internet, be careful what you post and engage in on your social media sites. Even though you may be just "typing words," remember that God sees and knows all, and you will have to answer to Him (Matthew 12:36). Because becoming a member of facebook, twitter, and other social sites are completely legal, there is no medicinal treatment for "social media addiction". You have to make up your mind, then wean yourself away. I am not saying that social media is bad, I am asking that you take a minute to evaluate yourself. Any thing, activity, or person that takes you away from spending time with God must be removed from your life. If you find yourself social networking more than you pray and read your bible, you must make a change to your daily schedule. Growing physically dependent on anything to make you happy is dangerous because when that thing is gone, so is your happiness. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and in Him you will find your true happiness - with or without the internet. 

Summer Is Here

When the weather gets hot, the world wants you to take your clothes off. Just because others are doing it, doesn't mean you have to. Less clothes does not mean "fashionable." Summer is here and although the weather is warm, do not forget to stay true to yourself and who you are. No matter what time of the year it is, it is important to behave in a manner pleasing to God. What you wear can reflect you in a good or bad way. How you dress effects how others view you and ultimately treat you. What do you want people to think about when they see you? If you want to be respected, dress in a respectable manner. If you dress too revealing, you may attract the wrong attention from the wrong people. Let your personality shine through and you will attract the right attention. Find a style that will look great on you, and feel confident in what you wear. You are awesome just the way you are, so keep your private parts covered and show off that beautiful smile. You are precious, and your body is a temple that belongs to the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).