Every scroll through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other social media platforms may seem harmless. But spending hours on it is shaping us in ways we don’t realize.
Everything we go through on those platforms shapes us. It disciplines us. It builds our thinking, our values, and our perspective, whether we realize it or not.
The screen works similarly to discipleship: by adhering to someone who shapes who you become. Quietly. Consistently. It operates without even requesting your permission.
And it has been working this way longer than most of us have noticed.
A Nigerian creative and speaker, Femi Lazarus, once made a striking illustration: a man imprisoned at twenty and released at ninety. The prison was the only civilization he knew. Taking him out did not free him; it destroyed him. Because he had been institutionalized, his entire reality had been built inside those walls. Most people, he argued, are living the same way, not thinking freely but reciting a reality that was architected for them.
The screen works the same way. It is not just showing you content. It is building your world. Some things online are false. Not everything is meant for you. But when you have never been grounded in the truth of God’s word, everything the screen feeds you becomes your reality, and without a foundation of real discipleship, it is difficult to know what to accept and what to reject.
We Are in This World But Not of It
We live in this world but aren’t part of it. So why let it shape our thoughts and define us, leaving us in pain and frustration over what we shouldn’t?
We are created to dominate, not be dominated. Because men created these tools, the creator should not be influenced by the creation.
The Bible is the only manual given to us by God our Father to guide our thinking, actions, and decisions. And it should remain so.
We are created to dominate, not be dominated. Because men created these tools, the creator should not be influenced by the creation.
Mercy Oladipo
Discern What You Are Taking In
Using a mobile phone is not detrimental in itself. However, relying on it to shape our thinking and identity is entirely wrong, as we spend more time on it than on the manual God has given us.
In Philippians, Paul prayed that the people of Philippi would discern what is best, pure, and blameless for the day of Christ. That prayer is just as relevant today. We should be able to discern what we consume while scrolling, as it shapes our identity, perspective, and decisions. Our hearts drive everything we do, so we must guard them at all costs.
This approach is the pattern the Bereans modeled for us. They verified what they were taught before accepting it. That should be our pattern. Everything we watch, listen to, or scroll through should be viewed through the lens of scripture before we take it in.
When the Screen Replaces the Secret Place
Extended hours in front of screens rob us of time that we could spend in prayer, Bible study, and meditation. The mysterious location is being replaced by mindless scrolling.
And the cost is high. When the screen consistently takes that time, many voices pierce into the heart we should be protecting, and such behavior hinders us from hearing God clearly. A heart overwhelmed with online noise fails to recognize God’s voice.
An unguarded heart loses direction. It begins to question God’s love, blame others, and eventually isolate. Guard your heart above all else, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).
When the Screen Becomes Your Mirror
Many believers use the amount of time they spend watching television to determine their authenticity. Additionally, when the screen begins to define who you are, you experience sadness and depression. Because the identity they were given by the screen was never their own identity, some people have even considered suicide.
It doesn’t end there. The comparison trap pushes people farther away from their true objectives. I think I can accomplish something better than what my friend is doing. Many people make decisions about their fate based more on the actions of others than on God’s will. The goal becomes unclear. Destiny is disrupted.
Your faith is called into question by several voices on the screen; some are real, others seem to be true, and some are wholly false. The voices start to determine who you are when you can’t tell them apart. A believer who is influenced by the incorrect voices would constantly feel empty, blank, and unable to realize their full potential.
It Is Time to Make a Choice
Don’t conform to this world; be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). The battle is in the mind. The only way to win is to feed your mind with the word of God, not screen content.
Paul stated that he engaged in a righteous struggle for his faith. But you can’t fight for your faith if your mind is shaped by anything but the word of God. Renewing your mind is how you stand. It is how you win.
And the generation coming behind us is watching. What they see us doing, they will follow. Our choices today will not just define who we are tomorrow; they will define who they become after us.
So make your stand. Renew your mind. Fight for your faith. Those behind you are not just watching; they’re deciding whether to follow you.
