5 Things to do Instead of Facebook

I’m hungry.

I hunger for significance, approval, stimulation.

I long to make a difference, I hunger to fit in, I crave the next thrill.

In fact, I wake up that way. The growling stomach reflects a deeper hunger~ this inner longing for unseen things like meaning, purpose, approval, stimulation, and direction.

I’m not alone. The Hunger is why people become addicts and why people reach for the smartphone first thing in the morning. It’s why we sell our souls for worthless things and why homes lie in ruins and how big businesses become big.

We chase that which promises to fulfill us.

For many of us, this is why Facebook is the greatest time suck of all. 

5 Things to Do Instead of Facebook

 

Because it promises so much.

Yet the greatest hunger we have is not for information or significance or connection  or acceptance but for GLORY. Only seeing, tasting and experiencing God and His manifest presence can satisfy our glory hunger.

Moses understood this about himself when he cried out to God, “Show me Your glory!”

It takes faith to cry out like that.

It takes faith to believe that God is better than Facebook.

There, I said it.

Sure we know that in our heads… but are we practicing it with our lives? Are we modeling it to our kids?

Do our kids see us filling up on the goodness of God day after day? Or filling up on Facebook, phones, and frenetic scrolling? Do our kids know that we do know how to get off Facebook, or do they see us getting sucked back in?

Seeking lesser glories is like being content with Doritos for breakfast when we could be having steak, eggs, hashbrowns, and all the fixins.

How long will we be content eating Doritos for breakfast?

Sometimes I think about how different our choices are today from even fifteen years ago. How differently we can fill the small spaces of our day. How much easier it is today to be consumed with mediocre and meaningless things. And how much more disciplined and intentional we have to be in our choices.

In times past you might call a friend or visit with a neighbor over the back fence or flip open the Bible sitting on your breakfast table or take a walk or sit on the front porch with a family member… now we just pick up our phone and start scrolling.

Are we really the better off for it?

I can’t help but wonder what our lives… and homes… would look like if we filled those small pockets of time not with Facebook but with THE Book. Not with Pinterest but with prayer.

And what could happen if we made a commitment and actually kept it? Instead of talking about it, I mean.

I get it, I really do. This isn’t a Sunday sermon (believe it or not~ smile). It’s simply that five minutes here and ten there…  well, those minutes could add up to a harvest of righteousness. 

Does anyone have ears to hear?

Anyone out there in the harvest business?

So what if we chose this week to do it differently? Just to start. Start small, sure. Start imperfect, yes. But just start.

When we finish the dishes and find the baby is still asleep, what if we flipped open the Word and used these 40 promises to meditate on God’s Word? As we wait for a child to finish a chore or complete homework, what if we grabbed these cards with Scriptures to pray for your kids?

Because after all, we reap what we sow. And we’ve just committed to sowing what we want to reap.

And since a wise woman builds her house, we are done building ours with wood, stubble and hay… especially given we have the precious Rock of Jesus Christ.

We have the greatest investment opportunity EVER.

Plus, we know houses are built brick by brick. Moment by moment. In those pockets of time. Five minutes here, ten there. Wise women aren’t deceived into believing somehow their hopes, dreams and desires for their family magically come true.  They know a home has to be built. Seeds have to be sown.

A home isn’t made of good intentions, it’s made of intentional decisions.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

Jesus said it this way, “If your right hand offends you, cut it off.”

Maybe it’s not so drastic to delete our Facebook accounts.

Or get rid of the smartphone.

Or not sign up for things that keep us jumping through hoops and busy beyond our measure.

It comes down to what kind of life we really want.

What type of legacy we want to leave.

Each one comes with a price tag.

So let’s choose well.

Sometimes a bit of accountability is necessary to make those tough choices. We need a sisterhood saying, “Yes, I’m in it with you!” A cord of three strands is not easily broken. So here’s a little something, a solid, satisfying resource to help us replace Facebook with The Book, a way to keep sowing seeds that result in a harvest of righteousness. 

 

Click here to subscribe

Be an action taker and solidify your resolve. Identify 5 things that can be your alternative to Facebook (or instagram, pinterest, etc). This week, work to reach for the things on your list instead.

Below is my list of 5 things to do instead of Facebook. 

  1. Choose a book of the Bible to study. Work through it chapter by chapter using the Chapter Bible Study Method. (I’m currently working through the book of Nehemiah~ love it!)
  1. Pray scripture for your child using these scripture cards.
  1. Journal thanksgivings and praises.
  1. Call a godly friend who will encourage your vision, strengthen your faith, and remind you of gospel truths.
  1. Play a game with your kids. Or read a book. Or clean a closet. Or plan a meal. Or just be still. Because in the still, small places, we can know God.

Oh, and sign up for our Prayer Challenge below! It’s a great way to be intentional about those pockets of time.

Click here to subscribe

 

 

Similar Posts

40 Comments

  1. The REALLY ironic thing? I shared this on FB and created a Pinterest board with all the prayer card images – I’m trying not to print things if I can help it (our household has accumulated a LOT of paper), so I thought, why not save them in some other way that I can easily access? I’m creating a shortcut to just that board on my phone (so I don’t get sucked in by other things while trying to get there). Great thoughts here, my friend. Really convicting.

  2. Yes. This is EXACTLY what I’ve been thinking lately. And why I logged out of Facebook on all devices this weekend. It felt amazing. I didn’t document all my doings with the world! What a concept. I’m with you on this for sure.

  3. I have a hard time eliminating anything. I really try an everything-in-moderation kind of life. I have added StayFocusd to my browser which helps me limit my time on websites that I choose (which are Facebook and Pinterest). The internet is a total time-sucker, but it is my connection to the world and family. We live overseas and it is often my only connection to friends and family back home.

    1. I’m with you on it being your connection. We are overseas too so it is vital to our family. The only problem is keeping it in balance and setting boundaries. That’s a must too! Praying for you today friend…

      1. I am doing my first 21 day fast. I am doing the daniel fast and I gave up Facebook for that time frame too. This sang in my heart deep. Just what I needed to hear. My children are 8 and 6. They are giving up TV for 21 days. I just gave my first godly blessing in her ear with comfort. Really understanding takes much sacrifice.

  4. This is perfect, Arabah Joy. I’ve been convicted lately about FB being such a time waster!
    God grant me the stick-to-it-tiveness to stay in the Word and prayer!

  5. YES! This is something God has really convicted me about the past year and about the content I was posting. Not that it was anything horrible, just my kiddos and our family life, but more about if my posts were bringing him glory or myself. Praying God will this endeavor and you for his glory.

  6. Yes!!! Maybe it is because I am older, maybe not, but I often long for the days pre-social media. Your post reminds me that I have a choice. I can choose to live in a way that carves out time without social media. It is my choice. I must not default to picking up my phone or going to my computer during my free time. Thanks friend. Sharing this.

  7. Such truth here – what better ways can we be spending our time than on social media (or otherwise glued to our phones)? And, when we are on Facebook, how can we be a light – to share truth and goodness, in a place often filled with negativity?

  8. Arabah, this is powerful. I’ve never been on Facebook (there’s a long story there that I may have to write sometime), but I’ve found plenty of other online distractions that often keep me from focusing on more important things. Your wise words today are so helpful as I look for ways to be more intentional with the time God has given me.

  9. Great post though parts of it hit in that uncomfortable place of conviction! So many great thoughts here. FB and other similar media can have a good place in our lives, but it’s so easy to get caught up in it.

  10. Oh I just loved this! I use Facebook for community (like our CBB group) but otherwise don’t spend nearly as much time on there like I used to. However, there are trappings in everyone’s days and your suggestions here are perfect.

    Pinned this to my Deliberate FAITH board.

    Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).

    Wishing you a lovely evening.
    xoxo

  11. Wow, the Lord is certainly speaking to me this morning. This is my second post of the day and both address things the Lord planted in my heart last night as I struggled to sleep. I just love how He does that! Many blessings on your day!

  12. You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned how we would spend a few spare minutes in days past. It is so easy to just pick up my phone when I have a few extra minutes, do a social media task. But if we focused those minutes on our relationship with God, they would add up over time to more power and joy in our lives, wouldn’t they! I stand convicted!

  13. This is a striking confirmation to something I read on (of course) FB. It had to do with seeking validation through social media. Then in my quiet time with The Lord last evening that came back to me. I had to do some soul searching and realize the”likes” and positive comments do serve to validate me when my validation should be in Christ alone. Thank you for this post.

  14. I am really glad that God led me to your blog. I love reading your posts when I see them. Months ago I decided not to download the Facebook app on my phone. If I want to check Facebook, I have to open an internet browser and log on and so on. I find myself going hours without checking into Facebook now!

  15. Why I love you!!! ?
    “Facebook is the biggest time suck of all.”

    Lol enough said. But then you brought it home. What we’ve all been thinking but not saying…?

  16. Fantastic post. So pertinent. I gave up FB years ago and haven’t missed it one bit. I realised it wasn’t actually ‘adding’ anything of lasting value to my life. It’s funny though how there’s always something else to eat up those moments though. …Pinterest, smart phone, a novel, tv, hobbies, chores….We seem to move from one vortex of addiction to the next. Well I do anyway!
    To really ‘be still’ and surrender our complete focus to the Lord, well that is such a challenge. This is a social media and technology soaked world we live in. We have the Internet at our fingertips and yet we are more disconnected to people than ever. Let alone to to our Lord and Saviour!
    Isn’t our Enemy just so clever. He masquerades as an Angel of Light, disguising himself in so many forms that look so attractive and ‘harmless’ to us. Before we know it ‘harmless’ things have made us slaves to them. …we depend on them and they soak up all our time and energy.
    Thank you so much for your reminder to examine ourselves and our habits. It might just be that you have caused me to realise that ‘pinterest’ is my new idol!
    This may well be my last comment! :)

  17. Thank you for the wonderful advice, Arabah Joy!

    I do have a question: is it okay to still do activities like watching TV, drawing characters and imaginary stories in my sketchbook (I love art like painting and drawing) reading books (that arent devotionals) and going on the Internet, as long as I keep a balance with it? Thank you in advance for your response!

  18. Completely agree, is just unbelievable how facebook just keep replacing what really matters in life the here and now moments with loveones, meaningful talks, touch. We just have to be aware that the devil is here for three things steal, kill, and destroy. So lets make the difference in this fallen world and for what is our part do and participate in things that ill helps to persevere and grow in holiness and love.

  19. Hi, just wanted to say you are amazing and I hope God will continue to use you as a instrument to teach people amazing wisdom and knowledge. This article really is needed, especially for millenials, teaching them that prioritizing God is TRUE LIFE ?☝?. God Bless you ❤️

  20. I love this post. I am so addicted to Facebook and other apps. I use it as a way to fill boredom and find approval. It’s so sad when we have constant access to God’s throne. We replace His love with meaningless things. Even though my mind all of these things, I still have a hard time. These are all great ways to replace one thing with other things that bring life. Thank you

  21. Loved loved LOVED the solid suggestions for alternative uses of our time other than FB! Thank you Araba for the reminder of being good stewards of the days and hours we’re given. And that even the small moments count!

  22. You’re always inspiring and leading us in the right direction. Thanks and bountiful blessings!!

  23. I’m going on a FB fast until September 28, 2019; I type a longer reply and my iPad said something about java script and an error. Arabah Joy you are a blessing

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.