As this Lenten season approached, I strongly considered giving up Facebook for Lent. I prayed about whether it would be the right thing. And at the last hour I decided, uncomfortably, to do it. Since the 40 days of Lent from Ash Wednesday to the day before Easter Sunday do not include Sundays, which are the Feast Days when the fast or abstinence can be broken, I thought, I should be able to handle that.
. . . I couldn't do it. So I am back on. I am weak. I can't even handle a whole day without Facebook; how pathetic is that?
But no, I thought . . . I am not weak.
Does staying off Facebook for a week at a time help me to spend that time more fastidiously in God's Word? Would I use that time for the purpose of Lent; that is to take up the traditional practices of prayer, fasting and giving? Would I use that time completely to become closer to God? Or would it just become a time to do more productive things in maintaining a household or accomplishing a long-put-off project? Is it intended to break a habit, that once more allowable, would resurface?
I learned that many modern Protestants decide to give up a favorite food, drink or activity for Lent, or they may instead decide to add a Lenten discipline such as devotions, giving or volunteering for charity work.
Facebook is not a bad thing. Undisciplined amount of time spent on Facebook is. I enjoy it for the relaxation and especially for the connection with people. Admittedly, I often choose to spend quite a bit of time on it and tend to let other things slip. But that is not the fault of Facebook. Regardless of Facebook's being a part of my life or not, it comes down to my choice with what I do with my time.
I have decided that this year, I am going to add. It's not like my devotional life isn't in need of help anyway, so I am going to commit to being more disciplined and read daily Scripture readings for Lent. And I've come to the realization that I can do that with or without Facebook.
For each day there are passages from the Psalm for the morning and evening, as well as passages from the Old Testament, the Epistles and the Gospels.
Today, there was a call to worship and obedience; a contemplation of David; a psalm of David; a prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to God; a song of ascents; the sterness and goodness of God; the race of faith, the discipline of God and spiritual vitality; and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. ~ Psalm 102:27
2 comments:
Thanks for the reminder Jenny. I couldn't remember when lent started. I got out the book I bought last year, Bread and Wine, there is a reading for each day. I would also recommend a similar book of readings for Christmas, Watch for the Light.
This all reminds me of the time I went on a FB rant about why skinny jeans were the biggest fashion blunder clothes designers came up with!! What do you think I came home with a couple days later...yup, skinny jeans. Ugh...
I liked your blog Jenny. I've recently heard a few conversations regarding the evils of FB - not my opinion by the way, but someone else's passionate opinion. She had some good points, as most people do when it comes to warnings of things that can take too much of our attention.
The bottom line is a big, boring, word called Balance. Almost as boring as exercise and eating right! (shudder)
And that's all I have to say about that.
Oh shoot, that got me thinking about chocolates.
Love and prayers
Jean
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