More enemies

DeAnna Willman

For thus said YHWH God, the Holy One of Israel, “In repentance and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Our last discussion regarding mind-brain-body health we brought up a couple of enemies of mindfulness and of the brain. Both multitasking and busyness are popular in our society, but they are not how our Father created our brains to work and thrive. They are habits that go against the natural functions of the brain and bring harm and dis-ease to the brain, mind, and body.

Where did you let go of these hinderances in your life that keep you from running in endurance for the kingdom of God? Where have you slowed down and allowed your mind and brain to process your thoughts, emotions, experiences and build relationships as God intended us to do? Where have you started saying no so you eliminate busyness from your life? Congratulations on each step you have taken to better brain function and to mindfulness! HalleluYah for each thing you do to better your health of mind, body, and spirit!

This time we will look at social media. I know some of you are already rolling your eyes at me. Some of you are tempted to stop reading and simply ignore anything else said regarding this issue. And some of you are already sensing that conviction from God that you would prefer not to acknowledge. But if we are going to talk honestly about mind-brain-body health, and about being healthy of mind, body and spirit, we must address social media, the internet, and screen time. So, please stick with me!

Back in the early 1990’s psychologists, psychiatrists, and scientists were warning people, especially parents, that more than 45 minutes on any screen shuts down (numbs) the prefrontal lobes where decision making occurs, emotions and experiences are processed, and delayed satisfaction is strengthened. They were calling it a virtual lobotomy. In other words, the more this part of the brain is numbed, the less one can make wise decisions, focus on one thing for very long, process and control emotions, process experiences and consider one’s response before reacting, and the less one can handle delayed satisfaction. This numbness (mental passivity) also leads to moodiness and negative thinking. Today, it is estimated that the average child spends 6-8 hours a day on a screen, and adults even more. That’s a long time to shut down a part of the brain!

Social media and most things on the internet provide only bite sized information without enough information for one to make a good judgment concerning the topic, event, or even words. It provides a constant stream of information and stimulation that prevents the brain from processing the “old” information or experience before fed the “new” information or experience. This is working against how the brain was created to function by our Creator. Our brains can only hold one thought at a time. The brain and mind need time to digest what it has been fed. Every thought, word, and experience must be held captive until the conscious mind is able to make a wise decision regarding it and its benefit or harm to one’s life, mind, emotions, behavior, and relationships. Specifically, the brain needs time to test everything according to the word of God. Otherwise, you may end up with thoughts, ideas, behaviors, and even experiences that you wouldn’t have consciously chosen for yourself, that may even bring harm to you and others. And all those thoughts have consequences within the brain and body! The biggest consequence is the body being put into stress (fight or flight mode) due to the constant stream of information and notifications.

Even though you may not dwell on a particular headline, video, post, or podcast, each one, as it was fed into your mind through your eyes and ears caused your brain to release chemicals and energy throughout the body. Was it positive and healthy chemicals and energy? Or was it negative and toxic chemicals and energy? And the constant barrage of information without the time needed to process it exhausts the brain. Symptoms such as brain fog, inability to focus, frustration with things that take more than a few minutes to complete, moodiness, depression, loneliness, and negative thinking tend to be a resulting consequence. The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction reported a 39% increase during 2025 in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnoses linked with “digital multitasking”.

Since the 2010’s when it became the “norm” for children to have phones or to be on the internet, depression, anxiety, phobias, and even suicide have increased exponentially. The number of youth on neurotropic drugs for those things has also greatly increased. Those drugs have further consequences to the mind and brain and body. Articles and scientific journals are daily being written regarding this very topic warning anyone who will listen that our youth are being harmed with something that society has said is normal and a must have.

Should we dump social media? Let’s ask some other questions.

How would your life look if you eliminated the doom scrolling, the mindless cat videos, the political updates and opinions, the constant search for “connection” and purpose in the ether, responding to notifications and emails from every app available, and without hours of streaming movies and shows? What else could you do or accomplish in those hours spent on the screen? How much creativity might you experience? How much stronger might your actual face to face relationships be? How much more time might you spend in bible study and prayer?

Yeshua told us to make disciples. To heal the sick, visit those in prison, help the poor, clothe the naked, and feed the hungry, and to start with those around us in the Body of Messiah. How much of that can we do with a meme, video, or post on social media? No one’s depression, grief, or discouragement were ministered to by a meme or someone’s snappy post on social media. While one can teach and even learn from the internet, no one has truly made disciples of our Messiah with their posts, videos, memes, or even podcasts on social media

While social media and the internet has its benefits, much of it is a distraction from what is truly important. And it is so easy for us to go down that rabbit hole if we are not careful. So, do we just dump it all? Let’s go back to what we have been discussing. Mindfulness. Along with your thoughts you need to take these things captive to the obedience to Yeshua, as well. Stop and ask yourself, “Is this time I am spending on social media better spent elsewhere? How would God have me spend my time? Is this meme, video, or post truly beneficial to me or others, or bringing honor to our God?” Is this time spent learning to better my relationship with God or others? Am I really going to act upon the information I am consuming, or is it more an exercise in trying to justify my time on the internet? Do I need to respond like Pavlov’s dog to every notification I receive? Do I need to seek affirmation from “likes” and reposts? How will this activity impact eternity and the kingdom of God? Most of all, take it all to God and to His word. Ask Him to counsel you in each situation. After all, He created us- including our minds and brains- and we should be seeking to do what He desires and intends for the health of our mind, body, and spirit.

This week take captive your time on every screen, specifically when it comes to social media and internet. Take it captive to the obedience of our Messiah. Ask yourself questions regarding your time and your screen activities. Be mindful about even this and CHOOSE to do what is beneficial for your mind and brain. Choose mindfulness in your screen activities.

I am talking to myself as well as to you. I must daily be mindful about my screen activity before I even turn on the computer, or I too, will find myself spending time on things that don’t matter in the long run, time that I cannot reclaim. I will have scrolled through several dozen “e-news” emails or “news” videos without really understanding (or caring) what it truly means to me or those I love.

Without mindfulness, I allow my brain and mind to be numbed and overwhelmed. I cannot stop my brain from responding to the information that comes to it from the internet, which in turn affects my mental and physical health. So, I must continually be mindful about what I will be doing and how long I will be doing it. I must choose how much information and experience I want to take in before I press the power button. I personally understand the challenge I have put before you for this week. Be willing to put the kingdom of God first even in your free/screen time. Most of all, ask our Abba who loves you without end for His counsel even in this area of your life. He promises to answer.

Until next time….

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31