Lord, Free Me from Myself

I am free from Facebook, but I am not free from myself.

Eliminating Facebook has helped to bring more clarity to my life. I did not realize how weighed down I was until I had the bonds cut loose. Yet, I have also seen in this newfound clarity, that Facebook was/is not the root of the issue. Facebook is not in and of itself evil. It can be used graciously and lovingly, but it brought out the worst in me. That sentence is very telling: it brought out the worst in me.

Facebook isn’t my problem. Sin is my problem. Facebook was merely a space in which my sinful nature rose to the fore.  Facebook exacerbated my laziness, fears, pride, jealousy, judgment, distrust and self-absorption but in a seemingly harmless guise. I got caught up in a false reality, and I did not see how sin was taking a hold of me. I needed to get rid of Facebook, but now with it gone I see that what I really need to be rid of is laziness, fears, pride, jealousy, judgment, distrust, and self-absorption.

I cannot free myself from these things. It is only by the grace of God, and Christ working through the Spirit in me that I will be made free.  Of course, that doesn’t mean I do nothing. I must continually seek the divine mystery of grace in faith. I ask for grace even in the seeking of that grace. I try to walk forward, stumbling and haltingly, but ever forward toward Christ. For my freedom will come not in deleting an online account but in pursuing an authentic relationship with God, and his Sprit is poured out on me.

Christ, live within me and vanquish my sinful nature. Thank you for your unalterable grace in which I stand as You have poured out your love on me. I want to be freed of all that keeps me from you. I want to draw near to you. Lord, free me from myself.