Avoid the T.R.A.P.S.Sample

The Trap// Social Media

Let’s take a quick survey: On a scale of 1-10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best , how do you feel immediately after you get off social media?

For many of us, we get off social media feeling dissatisfied and disappointed with our lives. We feel this way because we fall into the trap of comparison. Social media can cause us to feel like everyone is living the life that we want or worse, that God has forgotten about us or is depriving us of blessings. These are lies from the enemy; we serve a God who takes care of even the birds (Matthew 6:26) and the flowers of the earth (Matthew 6:28-33), how much more can we trust that Our Father is taking care of us and providing us with everything we need?

The Truth:

Truth #1: Social Media isn’t real.

Someone’s online presence doesn’t accurately depict their everyday reality. Instead, it reflects thoughtful, curated snapshots of the life they want to sell us. Social media is strategically designed to make us crave what we don’t have and desire to be who we are not.

Truth #2: Comparison kills joy.

There is no value in comparing your behind-the-scenes footage to someone else’s highlight reel. Comparison is the thief of all joy and contentment because it dismisses God’s daily blessings, mercy, and grace. Instead of comparing, let's trust that God is always taking care of us.

Truth #3: We need wisdom.

Out of our heart, everything flows. We should exercise discernment and wisdom over the type of content we consume because what we consume will influence our lives. When we guard our hearts, we not only honor ourselves, we honor God.

Application:

When you find yourself falling into the social media trap, take a moment to R.E.S.E.T.:

• R (recognize when you feel jealous, envious or sad)
• E (express those emotions and be honest with yourself and God about how you feel)
• S (seek support - whether in therapy, an accountability partner, or the Bible)
• E (exit the app and set healthy boundaries)
• T (tell yourself often “God is a good and faithful Father”)