When to Opt Out
Knowing what fills and what depletes you is essential for creatives. Because we don’t live in paradise or even a neutral setting. If we’re not proactively seeking what fills us, the gravitational pull of this world will slowly deplete our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls.
The best way to determine what’s draining you is to notice what the “fruit” is from spending time with someone or something. Does doing so result in more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control (the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23)?
The only social media platform I’ve been on for years was X (formerly Twitter). I enjoyed the short format for offering thoughts to encourage creatives. But scrolling through all the divisive drama, hate, and violent imagery was taking a spiritual toll on my mind and heart. So I walked with God on how and when to exit that particular platform. I felt his release earlier this month—along with his kind reminder that there are other ways to reach people that aren’t as toxic to my soul.
Here’s what I posted on X to share the decision and invite followers to stay in touch via these daily readings: “I can't stop the surging global chaos—but I can stop spending time on social media. The violent images and rhetoric are toxic to my soul. So with this post, I'm taking an extended break to spend more time in the real world.”
So I’m off X for the foreseeable future (maybe forever) and curious what God will fill this open space with.
What about you? Who or what is depleting your heart and your art? Running on empty is never a good way to run towards your creative goals. Knowing this is essential. But knowing is just the first step. You then need to seek God’s guidance for if, when, and how to opt out. That’s easier with social media than it is with a person, but perhaps there are ways to spend less time around toxic friends or co-workers—or at least add more safeguards or time limits on those relationships.
Doing so will free you to opt in to who and what matters most.
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
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