Posted on January 29, 2026 by Mollie Clark
Technology
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Social media is part of everyday life. It helps us stay connected, informed, and engaged with the world around us. Used well, it can even be a tool for encouragement, learning, and community.
Like many powerful tools and technology, social media can quietly shape us.
You open an app for a few minutes and close it feeling anxious, discouraged, irritated, or less content than before. What we regularly take in—images, opinions, and comparisons—affects our emotional and mental well-being, often more than we notice in the moment.
A helpful question: How do I usually feel after I scroll?
Social media highlights carefully chosen moments of life. Over time, this can shape how we measure ourselves—our success, our parenting, our relationships, and even our faith. Comparison rarely announces itself. It quietly influences how we see ourselves and others.
Scripture reminds us that our worth is not something we earn or display, but something we receive through our identity in Christ.
Waiting in line, sitting alone, or resting can start to feel incomplete unless they’re filled with scrolling. When we rarely sit with silence, we may miss opportunities for reflection, prayer, gratitude, and rest.
Silence isn’t empty—it often creates space for clarity and peace.
You may notice it’s harder to stay present—with family, work, worship, or conversation—because your attention is always partially divided. Notifications and endless content train us to expect constant stimulation. Over time, this shapes how we engage with the people and responsibilities right in front of us.
Our attention shapes how we love our families and neighbors, and how faithfully we live out the callings God has placed before us.
What we see repeatedly begins to feel normal. Opinions, values, and assumptions—whether we agree with them or not—can quietly shape how we think, what we prioritize, and how we view others. We are always being formed by something. Discernment helps us notice what is doing that shaping—but discernment is not something we generate on our own. As Christians, we look first to God’s Word, continually seeking His will, His ways, and His truth.
When Scripture shapes our thinking more than the voices in our feed, we are better anchored in what is lasting and life-giving.
Being shaped less by social media doesn’t require deleting every app or setting rigid rules. Often, small, intentional choices make the greatest difference.
Here are a few simple practices many people find helpful:
Some choose to put their phone away during meals, the first hour of the day, or the last hour before bed. Others set aside one screen-free day each week—often Sunday—as a way to rest, reconnect, and refocus.
Social media shapes us through repetition. Following trustworthy, Christ-centered voices—and unfollowing content that fuels anger, anxiety, comparison, or temptation—can noticeably change how social media affects your heart and mind.
Before opening an app, ask: Why am I reaching for this right now? A moment of awareness often leads to more thoughtful and limited use.
When the habit to scroll arises, consider a short walk, a conversation, prayer, reading Scripture, or quiet rest.
Social media doesn’t have to be all or nothing. With discernment and intention, it can remain a tool we use—rather than something that quietly uses us.
Father in heaven,
Thank You for the many ways we are able to connect with others.
Grant us wisdom and discernment in how we use the tools before us.
Guard our hearts and minds, shape us by Your Word,
and help us rest in the identity You have already given us in Christ.
Amen.
If you’re looking for thoughtful, Christ-centered social media content, we invite you to follow Lutheran Family Service on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. We share reflections, resources, and stories that point toward hope, dignity, and care for one another.
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