The Mask Effect

Isn’t it funny how we fill our Instagram and Facebook feeds with pictures of our food or pets? We photograph and write about our lives for the sake of a like or follow.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. The truth is that we do like the attention (even I do). We like how social media can turn us into little online celebrities. However, sometimes scrolling through these sites for too long can make me feel depressed and shrink away my confidence. Do you ever feel that way, lovely reader?

What is the problem here? The cause of our social media induced anxiety is what I like to call the “Mask Effect.”

Online, we can be whoever we want to be. We can post nothing but the highlights of our lives (which we often do). We can edit our photos to give us the “perfect body,” or only post pictures of salads and kale smoothies for dinner (when most of the time we eat PB&J and pizza, right?).

We create a little utopia for ourselves, only the problem is, we’re not really living this out in real life. After all, no one is perfect.  The psychology term for this is cognitive dissonance.

I’m not saying social media is all bad, but it has become a mask to hide our true selves. We all want to feel worthy and loved, and social media seems to be our outlet for this. Social media is fun and useful. As a blogger, I use it frequently! But in order to utilize it in a healthy way, we need to recognize that our self-worth does not come from other people’s approval.

The only true source of self-worth and love can come from Jesus. He is the well that never runs empty.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14 NKJV).

When we seek after the things of this world, like approval from people, we can never be truly satisfied. Only God can satisfy us with a love that never fails. 

Life is a balance. Enjoy your social media, but remember that’s not all life is about. Keep your heart and mind focused on God, and you will find true peace and joy that can never be taken away.

I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope (Psalm 16:8-9 NKJV).

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