Chicken and Bliss

A Philadelphia faith and lifestyle blog fueled by copious amounts of coffee and Jesus

What to Do When You Disagree With People On the Internet?

 

Variations of this post have been in my drafts folder for a while. I’ve started and stopped it, only to later start and stop it, again. Google Docs has seriously been the real M.V.P in that it’s able to hold so many of my drafts, but I digress.

In the society we live in today, disagreements are bound to happen from time to time. It’s impossible for everyone to agree with us all of the time because we’re all uniquely made, with varying opinions, and experiences.

However, it seems I can’t log onto social media without seeing someone arguing with someone else about something – spewing out insults and labels like it’s nobody’s business.

Except it is because it’s on social media and filling up our newsfeeds.

“You’re an idiot.”

“People like you should disappear.”

I could go on and on and I’m sure you could, too, with examples of these.

I am all for healthy discussion and debate. I am all for shedding light on injustices in a way that’s productive and suggestions solutions. In fact, I’ve learned a lot of things from having conversations with people from different backgrounds and who have differing opinions than my own. I am not policing anyone’s right to share their opinion or express their emotions. That’s not my place at all to do that and I would never want to do so.

I also acknowledge that it can be hard to not want to lash out when you see or hear something that is insulting to you, your background, experiences,  and is in opposition with what you feel so passionately about. For me, it’s hearing people joke about assault and minimize it that tends to upset me.

However, I think that when faced with these difficult conversations, we are presented with a choice that while might not lessen the amount of mean interactions that occur out there, can help us preserve our peace.

My solution is less of a solution to the question and more so a response to how we can keep our sanity in the midst of the name calling, insult throwing, threatening discussions that we’re sometimes presented with or see on social media:

Approach them, privately, or ignore it.

My advice for dealing with disagreements online: Approach them, privately or ignore it. Click To Tweet

If I’m being honest, sometimes this is hard for me, but I think it is one of the ways we can refuse to participate in the hate being thrown around, while also (if the opportunity presents itself) respectfully sharing our viewpoint.

In my opinion, arguing with people is a waste of time. Arguing and spewing insults will never change anyone’s opinion or make them consider yours. It just makes them angry, makes them feel justified in spewing insults your way, and keeps the cyclical argument going on for hours. We’re just wasting our time engaging in and assuming that it’ll heed positive results.

“I will definitely change my viewpoint because you said I’m a crybaby and that I’m a waste of space for disagreeing with you!” Said no one, ever.

 

But imagine if instead of responding to someone’s statement or viewpoint that you disagree with an insult, that you contact them private trying to understand why they feel the way they do?

If someone posted something that offends you or is offensive to others, why not privately message them to let them know?

We might be surprised how differently people respond to correction when it’s presented in a way that isn’t public and isn’t judgemental where labels are thrown around without seeking to understand why they feel the way they do.

Why not privately message them to let them know? Click To Tweet

The same things goes for us as believers who are sharing our faith. The Word of God tells us to refrain from foolish arguments with people.

“But avoid foolish and ignorant questions, knowing that they do produce strifes.” – 2 Timothy 2:23

I don’t think this is saying that we’ll never get into disagreements with others and that constructive, respectful disagreements are sinful. However, I think when we engage in yelling matches where we begin insulting each other or arguing just for the sake of arguing, I think that’s when it becomes foolish because it’s purposeless.

But foolish and ignorant questions avoid, knowing that they do produce strifes - (2 Timothy 2:23) Click To Tweet

Another thing I’ve seen online is arguments that arise from people who are believers, are arguing with people and insulting others who don’t believe in God. I’ve seen tweets where individuals are condemning other individuals and posts where they’re calling them crude names.

In no way should it ever be appropriate to try to convince someone to follow Christ by belittling them, shaming them, or condemning them. Nope. No. Never.

Share the gospel and let God do the saving. Share the good news and how Christ has transformed your heart and given you hope. Share how your life has changed since coming to know Christ and trust that God will finish what He’s starting in them. Be a witness to someone by living for Christ and letting your life be a testimony of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and mercy. Disrespecting someone is not the way to go about it, friends.

There are exceptions to the unofficial “message them privately rule” way of handling these conversations.

If someone is being blatantly racist, sexist, or seeking to argue with those around them, it’s clear that they’re not a safe person to have this conversation with. No amount of approaching them respectfully will change their minds because they are set in their ways. The only thing we can do in that case or try to do is pray for them or ignore it.

I’ve had people respond to my tweets before with some offensive things. I remember asking a question to my TL about what they think are some things that perpetuate rape culture and there was a response from some guy who wasn’t even following me saying something that was quite offensive. I took a glance at his TL and noticed that 95% of what he tweeted were posts trying to discredit rape culture and say that it’s perpetuated by the fact that it exists.

Uh, no. Rape culture wouldn’t exist if people weren’t perpetuating it and assaulting people, but that’s another post for another time.

Do you know how I responded?

I said, “boy, bye” and went along my merry ol’ way, while responding with a GIF of someone turning away, whimsically on the heels of their feet. I also went on a tirade, subtweeting him and using GIFs of cats fighting.

Just kidding, I actually didn’t do or say that.

I said nothing.

It certainly wasn’t by my own strength because if it’s one topic that gets me fired up, it’s assault, but by God’s strength, I let it go.

I ignored him and kept it moving, because I knew that having a mature conversation with him probably wouldn’t be happening any time soon.

Did I want to respond? Sure.

Was I super confused as to why someone who didn’t follow me, felt the need to respond so negatively to a tweet I was hoping would create a positive conversation on my Twitter timeline about some of the things that perpetuate it and how we can band together to not do so.

Could I have brewed up a snarky, public response? Probably.

But what good would it have done? It would’ve only created an argument that would’ve consisted of my Twitter avatar being insulted and memes about me being labeled as a crybaby. He wouldn’t have changed his viewpoint nor would he have been willing to understand why that’s offensive, but we both would’ve wasted or time that could’ve been spent doing something productive or watching reruns of 90’s sitcoms on Netflix.

If they won’t relent, block them. Report them. Breathe, pray, and keep on moving, friend.

As tempted as we might be to engage in these arguments, seeking to defend our viewpoints and express why it’s wrong, sometimes it’s not worth it.

As the saying goes, we have to choose our battles because we could spend hours arguing and trading insults with someone who was never trying to hear you out in the first place. That time could be spent investing in causes we support, helping out in the community, and finding more tangible ways to productively contribute to change.

Choose your battles wisely, friend. Click To Tweet

If someone seems far too impassioned by what they’re sharing and you feel they’re not willing to hear you out, ignore them.

Be a light, share the gospel, and speak out about injustices as led. However, if it’s clear that a conversation is not going to be a productive one, keep it moving.

How do you deal with difficult conversations on the internet? Have you ever had one before? How did you handle it?

Purity: A Lifestyle or a Means to Marriage?

Disclaimer:  Please note that the purpose of me sharing this is not to cause drama or discourage anyone, but is to hopefully encourage all of us to really consider some of the statements we make as believers in Christ that may be well-intentioned. 

Purity is a topic that is often discussed in the Christian community – especially in relation to waiting until marriage. While I am all for encouraging people to wait until marriage and do things God’s way, there are some things I’ve noticed in some purity ministries that can help more than harm and veer on the fine line of biblical versus unbiblical doctrine.

Mountain Gap Photography

 

“I’m saving my purity until marriage”

Typically, when I hear the word “purity” being brought up and discussed, it’s spoken about as this thing that is primarily a physical concept. We often hear people encouraging others to remain pure until marriage and keeping their purity until marriage. While the intent of it might be well-meaning, for someone that is new in the faith or not actively reading scripture, it can easily be interpreted as purity only pertaining to what is physical.

“I am waiting until marriage, so that means I’m pure – right?”

Sorry to say, but nope. You can wait until marriage and abstain from physical intimacy and still be impure. Why? Because purity is a heart matter. Purity is is much deeper than abstaining from certain things or certain words. Purity is a matter of our hearts and what’s in them and is not something that we ourselves have the power to maintain, but I’ll get into that later.

You can wait until marriage and abstain from physical intimacy and still be impure. Click To Tweet

Mountain Gap Photography

Think about it this way – someone could be waiting for marriage and yet on the inside, lust for a crush. Someone could be waiting for marriage and yet in their hearts be actively thinking of ways to murder someone. Okay, maybe the latter isn’t the best example, but my point is to say that you could be physically abstaining from certain things, but still struggle with these things in your heart.

Additionally, the threat of impure thoughts doesn’t end when you say, “I do.” Many married couples have often attested to the fact that just because they’re married, it doesn’t mean they still don’t have to guard their hearts from certain things to keep them from lusting after another person or developing inappropriate relationships with them. Some people get married and are still unfaithful to their spouse, sadly.

For example, without going into detail, I found out someone I know was being abused by a pastor of a mega church in the south. She was the pastor’s wife and she left after he nearly killed her. While he’s in front of his congregation preaching to them about different things, he being unfaithful and abusive to his wife, sleeping with other women in the church behind her back. My point in sharing this example is to say that he was married, a pastor of the church and still disobeying God. He waited until marriage, had a family, was a pastor supposed to be leading people to Christ, but his heart on the inside wasn’t changed. He hadn’t truly accepted the Lord as his Savior and therefore his “transformation” was shallow. He appeared to be transformed by Christ and to be pure, but his heart wasn’t/isn’t. Therefore, purity doesn’t end when you get married and marriage doesn’t secure your purity either because it goes deeper than what’s physical.

Marriage doesn't secure your purity because purity is much deeper. Click To Tweet

“When you honor God with your body then and only then, will He honor you with a spouse”

This above quote is another one that I hear often that while could be well-meaning, is not really biblical and can actually be discouraging.

Think about the disciples in the bible, who were seeking to honor God with their lives and bodies, but died alone. Were they not loved or favored by God?

This can be discouraging for people who are single or have been for a while because it makes them think that their singleness is punishment for their seeming lack of obedience, struggle with lust, or what have you. Rather than giving these struggles to God, they begin to berate and condemn themselves for it. That because they slipped up in an area or because they struggled with inappropriate thoughts that God hates them and they are undeserving of a spouse.

It has nothing to do with what we do or don’t do and everything to do with God’s plan for our lives. This thinking encourages us to view God has a vending machine instead of the Holy God that He is. It encourages us to view Him as someone who give us what we want, if we do this thing, and that’s dangerous thinking, friends.

One of the wonderful things about God is that He is incredibly merciful and powerful. There are plenty of people who have been intimate before marriage or struggled in the area of physical purity that God has not only redeemed and saved, but who are now happily married just as there are people who waited until marriage that are. We should seek to remain pure to glorify God and because we love Him – not as a means to marriage.

We should seek to remain pure to glorify God and because we love Him. Click To Tweet

“Because I held restraint and waited until marriage…”

If I am being honest, I used to listen to a few ministries that promoted behavior modification without realizing what it was and how it’s contrary to the gospel. You see, behavior modification teaches that we as believers have the ability to change ourselves and that we should ultimately do so. They begin using language like, “I restrained” and “I ended relationships” without acknowledging that it was the Lord that gave them the ability to do so. You may also recognize the same in some other phrases that night be uttered:

“How can you expect God to love you if you…”

“You have to stay pure until marriage or God will not bless anything you do”

“Don’t think impure thoughts at all.”

As with all of the above examples, the intent is probably well meaning and while I believe that it is important to not do these things, but I think when these things are preached without also preaching the gospel along with it, it promotes the idea that we must do these things on our own and that by extension, Christ didn’t have to sacrifice Himself because we can do these things. I know that’s a run on, but you see what I’m saying?

Yes, we should seek a lifestyle of purity and yes, we should seek to obey God’s commands, but we should seek God and His kingdom. We should seek Him and spend time in His word, because if we’re not careful we could become more consumed with doing things than we are with spending time and building a relationship with Him.

Remember the parable in the bible where God talks about how not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven (paraphrased Matthew 7:21)?

“Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;” – Matthew 7:21

What He’s saying is that someone could be seemingly following the commandments, but not have any real change in their heart and no real relationship with Christ? I’ve felt especially convicted by this recently because it’s so easy to get so consumed with serving and forget that God wants a relationship with us.

We should aspire to live a pure lifestyle, but our desire to do so should be out of our desire to please God and out of the work He’s doing in changing our hearts – not simply to appear to be holy or righteous.

The transformation that occurs in our heart as a result of accepting Christ is what helps us to abstain from these things and gives us that desire to obey and honor God. It’s God who gives us that strength and it’s because of the work of the Holy Spirit working in our heart that we can do this. It has nothing to do with our own strength or desires because as sinners, we inherently desire sin. It’s because of Christ and His workings in us that we begin to abhor it. Teaching purity as something that needs to be done without the power of Christ is futile because it is impossible for us to truly honor God – with our hearts, bodies, minds, etc – without having a true transformation and relationship with Christ. We begin to look and behave like who we hang around and the same goes for our relationship with Christ. It is because of Him and only through Him that we can abstain and remain pure.

Mountain Gap Photography

So what are you saying?

I am not saying that we should ignore following the commandments or that we should not care, not guard our hearts or anything of that sort. I’m not saying that all purity ministries are pointless or that all preach the wrong messages. I am definitely not saying that as believers, we should go around and abuse the grace that Christ has given us by willingly participating in sin. Absolutely not. Christ implores us to sin more, but Christ also implores us to seek Him above all else. Christ also implores us to repent and reminds us that we’re all still sinners being worked on by Our Savior. Christ also encourages us to share the gospel.

I am saying that we should be careful not to only tell believers what they shouldn’t do without sharing the invitation of and pointing them back to the cross. Someone could easily abstain until marriage yet have absolutely no relationship with Christ and not have grasped the gift of salvation.

Purity is a heart matter. Click To Tweet

Purity is important and I think it’s awesome that there are so many ministries encouraging other believers to resist the temptation. I also strongly believe that God has gifted people in this area and has placed them in particular environments to do just that, so this post isn’t saying that we should forget about purity ministries and that they are completely pointless. In fact, I’ve seen some excellent ones out there where the messages are always encouraging and point to the gospel. However, if we’re preaching that purity is only physical, that purity is a means to marriage, and that purity is something we ourselves can uphold, we’re missing the mark and walking on a line that could veer us over to the side of unbiblical doctrine.

It’s God who changes hearts. It’s God, who can purify our hearts and when preaching purity, we must be sure that we’re pointing them to Christ and encouraging them to seek Him – entrusting that the work He’s started in us He will finish.

When preaching purity, we must be sure that we’re pointing them to Christ. Click To Tweet

 

Supporting A Grieving Loved-One: DOs + DON’Ts

 

Sometimes life is hard.

Sometimes we experience things that have us bouncing off of the walls because we’re so joyful and other times we’re in deep mourning because of the great pain we’re experiencing. In the past couple of months, I can say that I’ve experienced both of these emotions in different ways. I’ve felt joyful because my brother got married this year. I’ve felt thrilled to finally be announced as my husband’s wife and to be able to start a life together rather in two different states and also gained some new family members. Yet there’s also been news of death and failed plans where we spent quite a bit of time mourning.

While I’m sure we all have our particular ways we prefer to grieve, it can be hard when someone close to you is going through a rough time. You may feel helpless because it seems that there’s nothing you can say or do to encourage them during this time.

What do you say when someone close to you has lost a loved one?

What do you say to someone close to you when they’ve been violated or lost a job?

What do you say to someone when they’ve experienced a breakup and are feeling the weight of both longing and grief?

Here are some tips that I’d like to share with you all who are looking for ways to love and support a loved one who is experiencing a rough time.

DON’T Pacify:

What they’re experiencing may seem trivial or unimportant to you, but it may mean a lot of pain for them. For example, someone losing a particular item may not mean much to you, but that item may have a lot of meaning for them. Maybe they had a really bad week and losing this charm bracelet that was given to them by a deceased relative was something that was the icing on the cake for them.

While our intent may be to remind them that “things could be worse,” you’re actually making things worse by pacifying what they’re experiencing. We were all created uniquely – that includes our emotional threshold levels. If you really feel that what they’re upset over is something that’s small in comparison to other things going on in the world, why not pray for them?

 

DO Pray:

As a believer, I believe one of the best things you can do for someone is pray and I believe in the power of it. However, I know for myself that when I am going through a challenging time, it can be hard to find the words and the strength to say. In fact, when this happens most of my prayers are confessions of my own inability to articulate what I really want to say.

We have the ability to access and speak with God any time we want and anywhere we want. What better way to encourage someone who is experiencing a difficult time than to intercede for them in prayer?

 

DON’T Compare Timelines:

While I know you might be tempted to do so, you cannot compare you grieving process with theirs. It may take someone years to get over something it took you a month to get over. This does not mean they are being dramatic or holding onto things too long. People grieve differently and at different speeds, so it’s impossible even for the one who is experiencing the difficult time to anticipate how long it’s going to take them. We should seek to walk alongside them through their grief instead of rushing them through the process because we’re unsure of how to handle it.

 

DO Give them space to mourn:

I remember attending a trauma training one year for work and feeling so relieved when they articulated the importance of giving people space and time to mourn. I think sometimes we’re so quick to want to rush people through the process because we don’t like seeing our loved ones sad that we give off the impression that we’re tired of hearing about it. It may not be intentional, but that’s the vibe it can easily give off when we’re so quick to throw inspirational verbatim down their throats for the sake of making them feel good.

One thing I’m reminded of is what the bible says about there being a time for everything. I believe that also includes mourning.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

 

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.”

 

— Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV – emphasis added)

 

That time isn’t specified in the bible, however. It doesn’t say, “there’s a time for mourning and that’s about three days max” or “there’s a time to weep for about 6 days.” It may take someone years to get over a death in the family or months to get over a breakup and I love that the Word acknowledges that and doesn’t specify a time frame. Therefore as believers, we shouldn’t either.

DO NOT Discourage:

In lieu of what was previously mentioned, you do not want to tell them to “get over it.” EVER. I cannot stress this enough. Not only is it discouraging, pacifying, and minimizing, but it’s also pretty of mean. I know the intention of these words might be to encourage your loved one to grab life by the “bullhorns” as society often tells us to do, but it comes off as you being sick of hearing them talk about it. It also comes off as you unintentionally minimizing their experience.

 

DO Encourage:

Send them a text letting them knowing that you’re thinking of and praying for them. I know I try to do this, but I honestly have not been the best at doing all of this time – especially the last month or so. If God has placed someone on your heart to pray for, why not send them an email or a text message letting them know that you’re praying for them or checking in to see how they’re doing.

Another way to encourage a loved one going through a rough time is to do little things for them. Someone’s grieving a death in the family? Offer to make meals for them. Depending on your relationship with them, perhaps you can leave little encouraging notes around the house ( a roommate or spouse) or surprising them with something that would normally make them smile.

What are some things that would make you feel supported when going through a difficult time? How do you typically support loved ones who are experiencing great sorrow?

 

The Best Things You Can Do If You Struggle With People-Pleasing

I was sitting down with my husband as he was finishing up calls (he’s on-call sometimes outside of the normal work schedule and has to answer phone calls), and I decided at that point that I would finally update my profile picture on Facebook to a wedding one – something I hadn’t done for at least a few weeks. As I was preparing to hit the button to publish the image, I called him over and began feeling a rush of hesitancy fall over me because I was thinking of what other people would think.

I know I have friends on Facebook that long for marriage and a romantic partnership, who I grieve with and I know the feeling of longing very well.

I have Facebook friends who I’ve shared some wonderful moments with me suddenly stop speaking with me without notice. They’re still Facebook friends with me nonetheless, but they don’t interact with me at all since I got married. It’s been discouraging, but I know I shouldn’t be surprised because I expected that to change some of my platonic relationships, anyway.

I know I have friends on Facebook who may not be thrilled with the fact that I have gotten married and secretly say negative things about me behind my back. I am aware of these things. The hesitancy to share was rooted in that alone. It’s not that I didn’t want to share with everyone how handsome my husband (still sounds weird saying that) looked that night and how grateful I am to finally be able to live with him, walking by his side through life’s challenges. It’s not that I am not excited to be his wife and thrilled to be able to create new traditions with him after years of living in different states.

I was hesitant to share because I thought about those people, who would’ve probably been thrilled if I’d fallen on my face in my dress or face-planted into a cake.

While I shared the image anyway, it was my husband that actually hit the button, while I screeched afterwards saying, “you really published the photo?!”

Naturally, he looked back at me very bewildered being that I’d just requested that he click the button since I was too nervous to do so, myself.

I’ve hesitated sharing certain information with people because I’ve feared their reaction. I feared the rejection. I feared the conflict.

I feared.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a good thing to consider others. I think it’s a good thing to genuinely not want to cause your brother or sister in Christ to stumble. However, I am not responsible for anyone’s happiness. I cannot control how someone reacts or responds to what I share. I can be cautious in how often I share or what I share per-say out of respect for them, but in the end I still cannot control what reaction they have or how they feel. It’s foolish to think otherwise and assume that little ol’e me, would ruin someone’s day by posting a picture of me awkwardly (because I’m awkward) posing with my hubs.

Yet why do I care so much?

Even with sharing this blog. I shared it once on my Facebook and haven’t since because of this very same reason. What will people say? What if I come off in a way that I don’t really want to or don’t feel is authentic to who I am?

Well, you know what?

I am tired.

I am tired of caring about what people think of me, voluntarily entering into these mental cells where they don’t even know they’ve been holding me captive.

I am tired of seeking to fulfill people’s various expectations of me as a newlywed, an educator, or whatever else I am.

I am tired of seeking the approval of people when their opinions are always changing. Look at Taylor Swift for example. One day she’s fierce and in a hot second, people abhor her.

I am tired of caring so much that I am allowing that to form my decisions.

Sometimes, people can say and do mean things. Sometimes, people won’t always be as joyful as you are about something and will let that be known.

I think having a genuine heart and love for people is good. I think genuinely considering people and their best interest is good as well. However, when it comes to the point where even something as small as changing my profile picture, becomes a discussion about whether or not it would rouse irritation in some parties, is ridiculous.

If I am fretting over what people will say to that, how will I respond when people begin making public comments to me about my faith? The last thing I’d ever want to do is compromise my faith and the true word of God for people’s comfort.

If you’re someone who’s also struggled in this area and you’re tired of going around the same mountain again as well, I have a few suggestions in regards to some things you can do that I plan on doing as well.

 

Get Out of the Driver’s Seat:

I know this sounds weird, but the reason why I say this is I believe part of the desire to please others (the ingenuine form) comes from wanting to maintain or achieve some sort of reputation or avoid conflict. We foolishly think that if can just stay on everyone’s good side, we won’t have to worry about people slandering our name in the mud or creating conflict with anyone. The truth is, we cannot change anyone’s perception of us. While some people may disagree, I believe that once someone has their mind made up about you, there’s little you can do to change that perception. The energy you’re spending trying to change their perception could be spent towards something else.  

I think one of the first steps to this is stepping away from the driver’s seat of the car that’s driving your towards the destination of perfection and let Jesus take the wheel (Jesus, take the wheeeeeEeeeel). Stop trying to control the way you’re perceived and feed on His word. While that individual’s perception of you may not change, YOUR perception of you will because you will begin to see yourself and that person through the eyes of Christ. They may label you a loser or a chickadee (is that even an insult?) or try to condemn you by your past actions, but God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. God says that you are His and that He has redeemed you. God says you are loved. While this may not always take away the sting of feeling unaccepted, judged, or even misunderstood, the more we root ourselves in who HE is and who HE says we are, the less we will feel defined by what they think.

Hello, freedom!

 

Fast from social media:

I’ve done this a few times because I felt I was too consumed with everything going on with everyone else. I was too consumed with what they would think or the appropriate time to post or how it would be perceived if I did not post about a particular comment or statement. So instead of continuing to drive myself insane with these expectations, at one point I stayed off of Facebook. While I think Facebook is great for connecting with people, I think a healthy break every once in awhile is normal and can even help with this struggle.

I must state though that fasting includes not just stepping away from those sites, but turning towards God in those times that we’d typically use them. So whenever I’d use social media on my phone, I would open up the bible app instead. It is not that fasting from social media is or can save us from our people-pleasing selves, but it does help as we seek to follow Christ’s voice and to tune into what He’s saying about us.

Remember that it is impossible to please everyone:

This one is a hard one for me. Sometimes, I hesitate to share what I really want to share because I think about what certain people will think of me. In short, I put way too much attention and am giving way too much power to people that are just as sinful and need of God as I am.

It is impossible to please everyone. Your post may encourage sixty people and upset three. Your statement may be completely fine with one person, but to someone else it’s enough to make them want nothing to do with you. The truth is, we cannot control these things and we cannot make everyone happy, but if what we are doing is pleasing to God, that’s all that matters.

What are some of your tips for people who struggle with people-pleasing? Is this something you wrestle with yourself?