Why Idleness Is More Dangerous Than You Think

God intended for us all to be fruitful, so it's important to starve the distractions that will try to derail you from succeeding. In today's episode, I go over my own struggle with overconsumption and the consequences of it all. This is where we learn and grow!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

In our lives. This is the enemy's new way to kill, steal, and destroy what God has purposed for us to do. Doom scrolling is not just a bad habit, but is a distraction and is distracting you from doing exactly what you're called to do, or even the goals that you have lined up, pouring into yourself, having a better life. And it just it's brain rot. It totally is. And I've noticed that in my personal life, I'm gonna be very transparent with y'all, because hey, we we gotta be real. I have noticed that I have spent so much time scrolling when I could be creating. And I realized that is how the enemy kept me distracted. That's how the enemy kept me wasting time. The enemy has no new tricks, but he does use the things that are close to our heart, the things that we find fun, the things that are in modern day use. In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 28, it says, Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. If we're so busy scrolling, there is no way that we're gonna do what is needed of us. And I know this is Paul talking to the church of Ephesus, but I want you to play, pay close attention as to why I picked this Bible verse, why I got revelation from this Bible verse, because it says, Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, because we're literally robbing God of his time. God has purpose for each and every one of us to do something for his kingdom, to forward his kingdom. We are his disciples. So if we're wasting time that we think is our own, that free will that is not really free, we're scrolling away, doom scrolling away, and wasting precious time when he called us to be in this specific place or he called us to meet with this person or he called us to do this very thing or work on that book or go back to school. But we're so busy scrolling, scrolling our lives away. That means there's a delay in the kingdom, there's a delay in what God has for us and has purpose for us to do. Do you see that something so simple, something that we find pleasure in? Okay, because that dopamine hit, it does do something, but then it leaves you dry. And that's the thing about it. Anything that the enemy gives us or that we find pleasure in that's really gonna be a at our detriment, detriment, it's a counterfeit. That dopamine high is fun while we're scrolling. Then when it's all over, it's nighttime. We realize we got nothing done. We realize that we just wasted our day. We realize that nothing was really checked off on our to-do list. We realize that we did not meet our goals. And if we take recollection or reflect back on how we spent our, well, the last six months of this year, what were we doing? Why didn't we complete the goals that we have set forth in this new year? What was the reason? And I guarantee you, doom scrolling will be in the top three besides fear. And I'ma touch on that as well, how fear, how doom scrolling plays into our emotions and it changes our view on ourselves, society, and and how we view God. And like I stated before, doom scrolling is a new way for the enemy to kill, steal, and destroy. He's coming to kill our destiny, coming to kill the dream that God put on the inside of us, kill the vision. He comes to steal what God has for us, his promises for us, and he comes to destroy our mind. That's what he's coming for. He's coming for everything. And don't get me wrong, social media has its good use, especially if when you're in business or if you're a content creator sharing the message of God or just a lifestyle creator, you're creative. God called you to create. Yes, there is purpose in social media, but too much of anything will ruin you. Just like if you drink too much water, you can die from drinking too much water, something that is so good for you, you can die from drinking too much water. So too much of anything is bad. So I'm not saying that do away with social media completely. But if you know that this is a weakness, that this is a stronghold, that you can't go without it, maybe it is time for you to close off all the apps for some time so you can learn, unlearn how to live with it and be so dependent on it and get back to your natural reset. That's what we have to do because there was a time. Oh, I don't know about y'all. I was born in the 90s. There was a time we didn't have social media. We were outside. Social media is a new thing to us. I think we're the first generation to experience social media and see the impact that it has in children, in adults, in society, in politics, in churches, in religion, all of the above. It does play a major factor, but you can always use it for good. Doom scrolling is not good. There's no way that you can tell me doom scrolling is meant for research purpose. No, because if you're researching something, I'm I'm a college graduate. When you're doing a research paper, you already know what you're looking for. So that requires you to be attentive and try to find these certain things. Social media is not giving you that. So there's no excuses as to why doom scrolling should be a thing. It should do, it should be a thing of the past. And the enemy wants us to be complacent. The enemy wants to kill the drive in you, the enemy wants you to be lazy, the enemy wants you to brain rot. And you know, the brain is so powerful. As a man think it in his heart, so is he. The more you scroll, the more you compare yourself because you're soaking in everybody's life and you're not living your own. Forgetting to live your life. You're actually living your life through someone else, through a lens, people you don't even know. And I'm not gonna be the one that says, Oh, you don't know their story, you don't know if they're really living that life. Some most of the times they are living that life. And I don't like that idea or that notion that people are not living this life that uh people will be putting on on social media. You kind of you gotta kill that comparison, that spirit of comparison, that spirit of envy, that spirit of jealousy. If you try to make excuses, well, they're not really living that that jealousy and envy is still gonna be there. Kill it at its root. What about if they are living that life? Let's work on you. Like, why do you feel some type of way? Why are you in taking so much of other people's lives and making judgment and giving your opinions where it really doesn't matter? How are you living your life? What are you doing day to day? And we saw clear as day in the Bible because the Bible is the blueprint for everything. Jesus was literally living in purpose. Okay, purpose had to be fulfilled. He was living out prophecy every day. He set out a mission for his life. Like he didn't go around aimlessly, like he knew exactly where he needed to be, who he needed, who he needed to speak to, who he needed to bless, what city he needed to be in. He knew everything. And guess who was minding his business? The Pharisees. They weren't, you know, they had a job to do, right? The high priest in Autumn was talking about him. Like, do you not know these people had jobs? These people had things to do, but they were minding the business of someone who was being purposeful and had every opinion about Jesus who was living his life and living out prophecy, but they failed. But listen, prophecy was still fulfilled because that was their job at the end of the day. Now that I think about it, but understand that they could have changed it if they were set on what God had called them to do or really take um recollection of okay, what is happening right now? This man is really fulfilling prophecy. Let me not get jealous or people praising him. Let me see, like go back to the book and see, okay, he's saying he's this, or he's not really saying it, but people are saying around the town. Let me see if it if it aligns with what my word is saying. And they would have got revelation as to who he is, and they wouldn't have a heart and heart. So that's how dangerous it is to just watch somebody's life and just have opinions and you're not living your own. God cannot speak to you when you're busy worrying about things that do not concern you and that's not attached to you, and that does not align with who he has called you to be. You'll completely miss out on God. And when we doom scroll, people with control problems that like to control things and control their lives and they really surrender to God, they'll spend time doom scrolling because that's control. You have control of what you're seeing. You get to take off, do this, and go here. And you can go to the Maldives because you're searching up Maldives. You can go to South Africa because you can search up South Africa, you can look up what's the new bag, you can look up luxury, and you're now living in black girl luxury. You want to be in control, and it's all feeding lust, the lust of the eyes. That's why doom scrolling is so dangerous when I tell you, I'm so happy God gave me this revelation because once you get the revelation, then it's time for transformation. It's okay. Yeah, you wasted time. Okay, so what? But God will make everything purposeful. All it takes is for you to have a made-up mind that you're no longer going to be complacent, you're no longer going to be distracted, you're no longer gonna be the reason for your delay, that you want exactly what God has for you. And you're not gonna settle for anything less, and you're not gonna have that mindset that wants you to think little of yourself or comparing your life to other people. Know that whatever God has for you is so good. And another reason why people tend to doom scroll is fear of missing out. You're not gonna miss out on nothing. You staying away from social media, you're not gonna miss out on anything that's worth missing out on. You're trust me, you won't. People will still be doing the same thing. I deactivated Instagram, and I'm pretty sure when I go back on, people will be doing the same thing. Like, you're not missing out on anything, trust me. And remember, your life is worth living. If your focus is your life, you won't be worried about nobody else's. And you won't be thinking you're missing out because you're so busy living your life. The feeling of never being satisfied is what Doom Scrolling gives you because you're just constantly scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. Then you'll see that lady on TikTok, the black lady. Are you scrolling? That's when you know you made it too far and you still scroll past her. I know because I have. I have done it numerous of times and scroll some more, and it's just like your life is just being wasted time. It's so precious, time is so valuable. And we only get 24 hours in a day. We spend like six to eight hours sleeping, and other hours that we have obligations like showering, eating, things like that. So, how many hours are you actually spending on what God told you to do? Like if it's the business or if it's going back to school or studying or whatever it is, or even building relationships outside of social media. How are you keeping up with your community? Are you actually building community? It is so important when I tell you the enemy wants to rob us of our time. That's why it's so important for us to get out of the loop. And Doom Scrolling creates doubt, a sense of hopelessness, and it makes you feel empty because at the end of it all, you're wondering, like, oh my gosh, why don't I have this? And I want to go here, but you're looking at your finances, it's not up to par. And now you're doubting God. Well, God, when is it going to happen for me? You're spending more time on social media, doom scrolling more than you're in your actual words. So you forget his promises that he's not a man, that he shall lie. So whatever he said, it is so. But the more you feed your flesh, because the spirit ain't in that. The spirit don't want nothing to do with doom scrolling. The more you feed your flesh, that is what governs your life. You know, the flesh is hostile to the things of God. So, yes, doubt is gonna come in, hopelessness, and you may even get suicidal ideation, thinking that your life is not worth living, that you'll be better off gone. And that is a lie from the pits of hell. Your life is so worth living. You are so worthy. You have purpose. No more of letting the enemy rob you of your purpose and your destiny. There is scientific facts to back this up. Of you doom scrolling doesn't mean something wrong with you. I think a lot of people go through this because it's a dopamine hit. Literally, our brain likes that. It's usually something that we have to work for, but the fact that we're not working for it is coming easy through scrolling and we're constantly getting that hit. That's why we keep going back. That's why it's kind of hard to break. But your mind is trainable, your brain is powerful. You can honestly redirect your brain. Usually, what we have to work for, it comes so easy and without effort. It doesn't take much effort to scroll and to spend hours on social media. So that dopamine hit just constantly comes and it tricks your brain into actually doing work. Like there is work for you to do. But if you're getting that dopamine hit from doom scrolling, you're not gonna want to actually do the work that God called you to do. You're gonna be tired, you're not gonna have enough energy, you're gonna, you're not gonna think it's exciting because it's probably not the same kind of dopamine hit because you're so used to getting it this way. So you're not interested in purpose anymore, fulfilling purpose. You're not interested in the dream building anymore, you're not interested in creating anymore because it's doing nothing for you. And I'm just gonna say this doom scrolling makes you into a loser, it makes you into a loser, a big double L. Doom scrolling not only wastes your time, but it rots your brain. And in First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 19, it says, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. You are not your own. It's your responsibility to treat this body right. And if it's rotting your brain, if what you're doing is not edifying, it's not pleasing, it's not adding onto the vessel that you're in, because this is a vessel, this don't go with us. This this temple, if you're causing harm to this temple on purpose, you're literally self-sabotaging, and that is so unhealthy. I can attest to this that I was self-sabotaging so bad because I spent hours just scrolling. And at the end of it, y'all, I didn't have the energy to create anymore. And I kind of felt out of love. I fell out of love with social media creating content, which is something I know God called me to do, but I didn't have the energy to do it anymore. I was constantly looking up how to edit this and how to, and y'all already know how to do it. So why am I constantly just what re-watching other people's videos on how to do it? And it's just like I'm not even taking the initiative to actually do it myself, to put it in practice, and which I already know how to do these things because I know how to edit, and it just requires much work in how to like you know, edit all these like effects and all this stuff. And I'm trying to find a shortcut, so I'm looking at everybody else's videos to see if they're doing it differently, and it's the same thing you have to put in the work. Stop trying to take the easy way out and do the work. You grow when you do the hard things, your life, your brain, everything transforms when you do the hard thing. You prove to yourself that you are capable of doing hard things. Oh my, that is so beautiful that you are able to do hard things that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So you know that this is God that is allowing you and keeping you and processing you and pushing you to do the hard thing. And another thing I want to add is this you don't know how to be bored. Social media makes us think that we always have to be on go, we always have to be doing something. No, we can be bored. The reason why a lot of us can't hear from God is because we don't know how to be bored, meaning we don't know how to sit still, we don't know how to just quiet the noise and not do nothing. Don't scroll, don't turn on TV, don't even eat and watch TV, don't even eat and scroll. Sit, enjoy the food, sit and silence, and you'll hear God. But we don't know how to sit in silence anymore because we're constantly looking for that dopamine hit. We're constantly wanting to feed the lust of our eyes. And like I mentioned in my personal story, it affects your work ethic. In Proverbs chapter 24, verse 33 through 34, it says, A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a thief, and scarcity like an armed man. My finances definitely took a hit because I was doom scrolling. I wasn't creating. This is what I do. So if I'm not creating more than I'm scrolling and intaking other people's content, I'm not being fruitful and I'm not able to produce because I'm consuming more than I'm producing, and that affects the money. So, what is affecting your money? How is doom scrolling affecting your money? I want you to think about that. If you are one of those people that get the food reviews on your timeline, and every time you see a food review in your city, you're out at that very same spot. It minds you, that's adding up. If you're constantly going to um maybe parties or not even parties, because everybody's saved here, right? Or you're constantly going to events that you see online because you're doom scrolling, you want to be here, you want to be there, you want to eat up, you want to eat here, you want to do this, you want to drink matcha, you want you know matches be eating, but my pockets up, I ain't gonna lie. But you want to do all those things, yeah, because you're doom scrolling. So you want to try everything because you you gotta feed the lust, you gotta think about it. You're feeding something, it's not a need, it's definitely a want. And I'm not saying never to indulge in going out and trying new foods if that's your thing, but at what expense? If it's eating up your money where you're not be using wisdom, you're not saving, and you know you probably have a business that you need to invest in, you can use the extra $30 that you're spending on this food. You can use it to set aside, you know, it's just wisdom. Sometimes we don't think God gave us enough, and he actually did. We're just not being resourceful, and we're not being wise in how we steward the monies that he has blessed us with. And being on social media heavily will make you have low self-esteem because you will doubt yourself, you will begin to compare yourself, you will begin to think, nitpick everything about you, like, well, my hair is not long, or oh, my butt, uh, I need to lose weight, or uh, my eyes, my lips ain't big enough, my breasts ain't big enough. You know, you just never know how the enemy will try to attack you in that way, or you may think you you need all of these things and you really don't, like overconsumption. Now you're over consuming things, and it's just like, when is it gonna be enough? And you also become overexposed. Imagine scrolling. You know how many things I see in other cities, news that I should not even be witnessing, and we become numb to things that are not normal, like the killings of people, the rape. Like I remember scrolling, and this girl just in the first second of the video, oh, I was she was sexually abused by someone in her family, and she just blurted it out. And I love transparency, but there was no warning, and that could have easily been a trigger for me, right? And she just constantly said, I'm not gonna lie, I had to block her. It was just too much being overly exposed to other people's lives and being overly exposed to even celebrities and drama and fights and uh people's ideas and way of thinking. Uh, you know, there's an epidemic of people women wanting to find tricks, men to spend money on them, and they don't understand that that is coming with a cost. But the reason why these women want these men to spend money on them is because they're on social media, they see what other women are getting, they see the lifestyle that other women are living, and they want to also live that lifestyle because they are overly exposed to things that they don't need to be exposed to. And these are young girls, young women that are in these chats and on these live streams asking questions, and they are being misinformed and guided by stupidity. And guided by ignorance and guided by the flesh, obviously. Because at the end of the day, you'll get that very thing that you thought you wanted, and it will cost you so much that you would have never wanted that thing if you knew the cost of it. And understand that you are a reflection of what you watch and what you intake on a daily basis. You are a reflection. There's no way I'm going to intake drama because I don't like drama. So if you constantly are intaking a certain type of content, it literally shapes your mindset. It shapes how you view yourself. It shapes how you view other people, how you view society, and even how you view God. In Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 5, it says, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. You may not be a prophet to the nations, some of you may be, but you'll never get to that if you don't stop doom scrolling. And he knew you before you were in your mother's womb. He had plans for you. The more you keep outputting your energy and wasting your time doom scrolling, you can't be that very thing that he called you, that he made you for. God is the only one that can validate you. But enough is enough. I want you to take back us. I'm gonna put me, we are taking back our life from doom scrolling. And I'm gonna give you a few tips on what you need to do to take back your life. Number one, set times, get a calendar, write down a to do, not a to-do list, a daily track habit tracker task that you need to do a daily schedule with timestamps. Every hour is accounted for in your life. You don't want any empty spaces, even if it's resting, even if it's calling somebody, write it down. Get those daily trackers. I'm going to try to link one down in the description box uh so you guys can download it and use it as well. Print it out and use block systems. There's a feature on Apple, on iPhones that you can block out certain apps after a certain amount of time. That's very effective. There's also uh the block and putting your phone in different rooms while you work. If you work from home or if you're at work, put it in a drawer and you'll be better at your job. And also, maybe sleeping with your phone far away from your bed or out of your reach. Also, get a book to read. Instead of using your free time to scroll, do something that will add to you. Do something that you can learn. Listen to a podcast, listen to me, listen to something that's going to add to your life, that's going to edify you. Uh, get a hobby and reach out to people, build your community. Listen, social media has killed so many relationships because we think we're keeping up with people as they post. Like somebody has a birthday. Instead of reaching out, like we usually would do on the phone, we said happy birthday online and we think that's it. But it's just like, where's that personal connection? We don't have that anymore, especially if you're living in different cities and different states. How are you keeping up with your uh community? So reach out to people, put on your schedule. I need to call so-and-so for like 30 minutes. Let me reach out, and that's how you're going to keep the relationship tight. And also journaling. I love journaling. I love journaling in the morning, uh, just talking about my day, talking to God, or just writing down things that I'm probably frustrated with or things that I'm hopeful for. It's definitely good for your brain and also your mental health to actually journal. And this is for men and women, so you can share that with your guy friends, your cousins, your brothers, all of the above. And go outside. I love touching grass. Go out to the park. Don't even take out your phone. People watch. I love people watching. Just go outside, y'all. It's your life is worth enjoying, and there is more to life than scrolling. You gotta be outside. The people that you're watching, they're outside. That's why you're watching them. Or they have something to say because they have formed an opinion based off an experience. If you don't go outside and live your life, you are going to soak up everybody's opinions about life and in relationships and society and God, and you ain't gonna be able to form your own. And it is not gonna be valid. And last but not least, prayer and fasting. If you find it to be a stronghold, if it's hard for you to put down, prayer and fasting and reset your life. Game changer, remove it, whatever you're trying to dilute, because it can be a coping mechanism as well. So the Holy Spirit will reveal that to you. So prayer and fasting. If you need to go on a three-day uh water fast and you know, just sit before the Lord and close out all the apps and even your phone, nobody texting you or anything like that, I would recommend that as well. The more you draw near to God, the more social media doom scrolling is not in alignment with who you are, because it no longer fulfills that empty place. Only God can fill that empty place. So the more you draw near to him, you're building your relationship with him, the more you fall out of love with doom scrolling. Because it's all rooted in lust. And the more you spend time with God, he delivers you from the things that is are unlike you, or unlike him, should I say, things that are displeasing to him that's in us. Spending more time with God will uproot those um negative seeds that have been planted. So, no more of wasting time, doom scrolling, and feeling a sense of emptiness and hopelessness. I pray that God just does a new thing in you and you get new revelation and you just start living on purpose and you start creating more, and you just start reaching your goals and being attentive to you and being in alignment with who God has called you to be. If you are in agreement, coming into agreement with this video of we're letting go of Doom Scrolling, we're locking back in, especially these last six months of 2026 or whatever year you're watching this. I want you to comment unloop me. And I'll see you down in the comments blue. And don't forget to cop that um that tracker. I'm gonna make sure I either put it in the description box and also I'll comment, I'll have it as a pinned comment until next time. I love you. Bye, sisters.