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Writer's pictureMatt Osborne

Time to Take a Break


Earlier this week, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to X (Twitter) and Instagram to inform his millions of followers that he would take a break from social media for an undisclosed amount of time.


When analyzing James’ announcement of his social media respite, it seems that much of his decision is rooted in the negativity that pervades many platforms he engages in. Ultimately, many social media interactions may not have proven fruitful for him in his day-to-day life.


For all of us with social media experience, James’ reasoning for taking time away from his platforms certainly should be no surprise. While social media is morally neutral, it can harm those who use it frequently.


Though there is nothing inherently sinful about the idea of social media in general, we must acknowledge that immersing ourselves in the social media universe can bring about negative results, such as increased anxiety, feelings of jealousy, or growing anger and hatred towards those with whom we disagree.


As followers of Jesus, what we often experience on social media can also affect many other areas of our lives.


Being called to live in freedom and liberty, we must recognize that just because we can participate in a specific activity does not mean we always should.


On two separate occasions in the book of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul comments on Christians who use the liberty they have in Christ to participate in activities that do not ultimately benefit them spiritually.


In 1 Corinthians 6:12a (ESV), he says, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful.”


He follows that up in 1 Corinthians 10:23 (LSB) by saying, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.”


Suppose you were to take inventory of your life today. Would you find that there are activities in which you are regularly engaging that are not inherently sinful but not profitable for your walk with God? If so, would you be willing to recognize that maybe it’s time to take a break from those activities?


We must never lose sight of the fact that we are to live our lives in such a way as to bring glory to God.


Of course, this does not mean engaging in recreational activities is prohibitive. Again, we have freedom in Christ to enjoy the good things that He has created. But it most certainly means that we should always ensure that we are doing things that glorify God and be mindful of the impact such activities may have on us.


Today, let’s dare to get honest about our activities and how we spend our time. Let’s be willing to take a break from what doesn’t benefit us in our walk with God so that He is glorified in all things.


I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!


PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for my freedom in Christ. Please help me use that freedom to bring You glory and help me become more like You. Please show me where I need to cut back and give me the wisdom to replace the voids in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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