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How much negativity are you consuming?

"Human beings were not created to have the horrors of the world delivered to their phones all through the day. The soul cannot take it."

John Eldredge

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Due to a media and human obsession with negative news, and an unhealthy reliance on social media for human interaction, many people have become desensitized to how much negativity they are consuming.

The News

Bad news sells. Over the past several years, media outlets have gone dark with their coverage of virtually every topic. The more negative they go with headlines, the more website clicks they get, so they keep pumping out more and more negativity, because website clicks create advertising dollars.

How often does your television or favorite news app interrupt with BREAKING NEWS for anything positive? Have you begun tuning out and scrolling past news in your social media feed that you previously considered to be horrific? We have become desensitized through mindless scrolling.

How about this question: When is the last time you saw any positive news story? Positive news is often so hard to find that you literally have to search long and hard for it.

Social Media

The trolls have taken over. In addition to negative news, there are negative people in front of their keyboards and screens. The number of people providing negative comments on social media, particularly on Facebook, has grown over the past few years. These people have lost their ability to smile and enjoy their lives outside of their phones and computers.

Doom scrolling through a social media timeline full of negative news and commentary cannot be healthy. What is even more unhealthy is scrolling through a timeline full of hate and negativity and not even recognizing it, due to the mindless scrolling. You may not immediately feel the residual negativity brewing inside you, but the "real people" in your life will one day be burdened by it, if you don't take your life back before it's too late.

We are in trouble if we cannot learn to find some amount of positivity in our daily lives.

I am guilty of letting the news and social media affect me, particularly leading up to, during, and shortly following elections. Thankfully, over the past year and a half, I have made changes in my life to break free from the negativity. Here are the steps I took to take my life back:

1. Trade in the doom scroll for the hope scroll: Go get yourself a physical Bible and start hope scrolling the pages of God's Word. I put my faith in Jesus Christ in May 2024, and learning more about Him has been transformational in my successful attempts to break free from the negativity. Regarding Bible reading, I have found it helpful to also purchase a Bible commentary, or two. For commentaries, I enjoy The Grace New Testament Commentary, the Believer's Bible Commentary, and Thru the Bible Commentary. If the Bible has been difficult to comprehend in the past, try the New Living Translation or the Christian Standard Bible, both of which are easier to read and understand than the King James Version or New American Standard Bible.
2. Delete news apps: Delete the news apps, or at least turn off the notifications, so you are not tempted to read the negative news of the world.
3. Take a close look at your social media friend's list and followed pages: No matter how close a friend is to you, if that friend is persistently pumping out negativity via political or news posts, do something about it. On Facebook, if you don't want to make things awkward you can unfollow a friend instead of unfriend them. Meaning you'll stay friends, but you won't see any of their posts in your timeline.
4. Download Pastor Chuck Swindoll's app to your phone: I am always looking for ways to mature in my walk with Jesus, which led me to download Pastor Chuck's Insight for Living Ministry app. Once on the app, listen to the plentiful series of sermons. Swindoll is a master of illustrating difficult to understand passages in the Bible.

Will you join me today in taking your life back?

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About the Author:

Mike Barber

Mike is an Air Force veteran, full-time communicator, and part-time tennis teaching professional. He lives on the Outer Banks of North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and brothers and sisters in Christ. Connect with Mike at mike@mikebarber.life or his website www.mikebarber.life.

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