In the midst of the hustle and bustle of daily life, many of us find ourselves carrying heavy burdens—burdens that go beyond the physical toil of our work and the challenges of our responsibilities. One of the heaviest weights we bear is the burden of anxiety. Even as followers of Christ, who have been reconciled to God, anxiety frequently lingers in the background of our lives. This anxiety, I believe, is deeply rooted in our separation from God—a separation that, though healed through Christ, we sometimes allow to persist through our actions and choices.
One of the most pervasive ways we fuel this anxiety is through our consumption of media. Whether it’s the news, social media, or talk radio, we have developed a habit of immersing ourselves in a constant stream of information, much of which is designed to provoke a reaction—often one of fear, anger, or outrage. But there is another way to live.
I was recently blessed with the gift of a sabbatical during which I experienced a profound shift in my own life by stepping away from this media-driven frenzy. For about two of the three months, I had almost no access to the internet, and during that time, I was largely disconnected from the world of news and social media.
The result? I felt more connected to the people I was actually with, and even more importantly, to the Lord. The absence of the incessant noise of media did more good for my soul than I could have imagined. I wasn’t completely cut off from the world—big newsworthy events still reached me—but I didn’t have to wade through hours of click-bait and fearmongering to get to the information that mattered. Instead, I had time and mental space to feed my mind and heart with good food—Scripture, prayer, and thoughtful books. It was transformative.
This experience has led me to a conviction that I want to share with you. As we approach the upcoming election, I want to invite you to consider fasting. Not a fast from food, but a fast from the news and social media that have become entrenched in our daily lives. This could be a total fast or a partial fast, however the Lord leads you. Personally, I’m giving myself about 15 minutes every few days to scan headlines and check my Facebook page. You may take a more or less aggressive approach. But before you reject the idea, here’s why I think this fast could be beneficial for you—and for the entire church community:
1. You Already Know How You’re Going to Vote
For most of us, our minds are made up. We know which candidates we support, if we support any candidate, and nothing is likely to change that between now and election day. So why continue to immerse ourselves in the constant barrage of political news? The media thrives on keeping us anxious and engaged, but if your decision is already made, there’s little to gain from staying glued to the latest developments. Instead, consider redirecting that time and energy toward something that will nourish your soul.
2. Media Consumption Fuels Division
The news and social media are designed to provoke reactions, and often, those reactions are divisive. Take the recent controversy at Arlington National Cemetery, for example. If you don’t like Donald Trump, this episode will reinforce your negative view of him. If you support him, you’re likely to feel anger and frustration at the way he’s being portrayed. In either case, your position is unlikely to change—but the division between people who hold different views grows wider. By stepping away from the media, we can break this cycle of division and instead focus on what unites us as believers.
3. It’s Better to Focus on What You Can Control
We often worry about things we have little to no power to change. The outcome of the election, the actions of politicians, the latest scandal—these are all (largely) beyond our control once we cast the one vote we are given. But what is within our control is how we spend our time and where we direct our focus. Instead of allowing the media to consume our thoughts, let’s turn our attention to what we can control: our pursuit of God, our family’s discipleship, our ministry in our local church, and our service to our neighbors and community, not least of which is prayer. These are the areas where we can make a real difference, and they deserve our best effort.
4. You Can Help Create a More Civil, Reasonable, and Kind Dialogue
Imagine what might happen if enough people decided to disconnect from the negativity of modern media. The overall tenor of the conversation in our world could become more civil, more reasonable, more kind. We could begin to see each other not primarily as political opponents, but as fellow human beings created in the image of God. By fasting from the media, we take a small but significant step toward creating a more humane society. I believe we will also give ourselves the space to re-learn how to hold to our convictions, while also still bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit.
5. You Can Protect Yourself and Others from Manipulation
We know that foreign governments have used social media to target US voters in past elections, and it’s happening again. As one expert recently said, “A lot of the reporting around China’s efforts to influence U.S. elections, isn’t to favor one candidate over another, but to engender conflict in the United States between the two parties, deepen the partisan divide, and decrease faith in the U.S. election system.” Why do we want to help them? By stepping away from social media, we reduce the likelihood of becoming unwitting accomplices in these efforts to destabilize our nation. Instead of being manipulated by outside forces, we can remain focused on cultivating personal relationships, as well as our relationship with God, while we faithfully represent the hope of his kingdom here on earth.
A Call to Action
So, here’s my invitation to you: if your mind is made up about how you’re going to vote on the issues in November, then join me in a media fast over the next two months. Let’s commit to stepping away from the noise of the media and turning our attention to the voice of truth. I am confident that you will not be significantly less aware about what is happening in the world, but you will be significantly more aware of what God is doing in the world—and that makes all the difference. The more accurate your view of God, the less anxious you will be. But be sure that you don’t simply remove media; replace it with good food for your soul such as Scripture reading, prayer, and thoughtful Christian books. And as you meditate on truth, you’ll find that the things of this world—its politics, its scandals, its fears—begin to fade in importance. Simultaneously, God’s beauty and power will come into sharper focus, better equipping you to serve him, as well as the people and nation you love. Why not give it a try?
Be First to Comment