The Face Behind Facebook
Have you ever wondered what is not being shared on Facebook? We see stories of engagements, honors, graduations, weddings, and births. We rarely glimpse the struggles of a child grappling with mental health challenges, the agony of failed endeavors, or the silent battles of infertility and loss.
Facebook posts can take our breath away, like a sucker punch to the gut. As readers, we don’t measure up. Our lives are not so perfect. Silence stifles our voices, as our hearts cry out,
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall. (Psalm 13:1-4)
Digging deeper than what we see at first glance, we might notice that even the most braggadocious posts mask the reality of our true struggles in life. If we pull back the curtain, we might find a mom attempting to lift up a child who feels unloved, a wife trying to present the best side of a loveless marriage, or a successful individual compensating for relational voids. Facebook posts can cover what is really going on like Greek Theater masks. Slow down, look closer, and see what is actually being said, or not said. Or notice those who are not posting, because they are in a season where it is difficult to chime in.
We are all struggling with something these days. The honest truth is, life is hard. This is not a new concept. In the Bible, Jesus says in John 16:33,
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus does not say, “You might have trouble.” He says trouble is inevitable in this world. Jesus is preparing his disciples with these words because he, the perfect, sinless man, is himself going to suffer great pain, mocking, and ultimately death from the very people he came to save. Jesus says to his disciples, don’t expect anything different for yourselves. As my followers, you will go through trouble. But, “in me, you may have peace.”
It is interesting to note that any time Jesus faces trials while on earth, he turns to his heavenly Father. From his Father, he learns the timing of when to speak and when to remain silent; when to move and when to stay put; when to heal, and when to honor the Sabbath. We are blessed by his example of where to turn when we face trials. Look to Him. Is there anywhere else we can run to or hide? We are safe in Jesus’s arms. “In me, you may have peace.”
While Facebook might be fun, try to find another community that is honest about the trials we face in life. No one is exempt from them. Trials are part of life in a fallen world. So, be kind. Everyone is going through something.
Good Times
Times of Trouble
force me
to create
to express
to reach
to question
Times of Pain
cause me
to weep
to read
to learn
to grow
Times of Doubt
challenge me
to pray
to search
to seek
to listen
Times of Plenty
encourage me
to give
to laugh
to love
to relate
by Erin M. Reynolds
Come worship with us at Connections Church! Join our community that is talking about all types of times, celebrating the gift of vulnerability, and practicing authenticity with one another.
Erin M. Reynolds, Ph.D.
linkedin.com/in/drerinmreynolds
Friend of Connections Church
