26 Trips Around the Sun


Why I took a Six Week Break from Instagram

As far as I know, the purpose of fasting is to grow closer to God. Fasting is a way of submitting your will in exchange for God’s. I decided to fast from Instagram because I was desperate for God to provide a break through in my life and Instagram had become my idol. An idol is anything that absorbs your time and love more than God. While I love God, I realized this year that spend way more time on Instagram than with God. Maybe the reason I’ve been struggling so much this year is because I was not seeking God wholeheartedly. Sure, I would pray, read my Bible and have devotions each day but I didn’t truly want to serve God more than my desires.
My desire to waste time on social media scrolling through Instagram, minding other people’s business was not only pushing me away from God, it was hindering productivity and triggering my depression. The first thing I noticed within my first few hours of abstaining from Instagram was how much I was able to accomplish in a relatively short amount of time. 
At the end of the first week of my fast, I realized that I did not feel depressed at all.  It was literally the first week this year where the signs of depression did not surface in my life. Sure, I was still dealing with some hardships but I didn’t feel like my life was on a downward spiral. There is a quote that states,comparison is the thief of joy” and my habit of scrolling through Instagram watching other peoples’ lives through their photos and Instastories made me feel like I was not doing enough with my own life.
There are some amazing people I follow and often come across on Instagram who I admire because they are doing great things that inspire me and they appear to be successful. However, I realize that I cannot compare this season of my life to someone else’s success season and highlight reel. I don’t know all they endured to get where they are and I don’t walk in their shoes.
I want to walk on the path that God has set for me and I want to be so in tune with God that I am living my life in accord with His will for my life. God promises that when we live a life of obedience to Him, we will thrive. “The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Photographer-Kofi James
Top-Asos | Jeans-Old Navy | Shoes- Nine West

So it’s been six weeks and my fast is over! There were very specific things I was fasting and praying for during this time and I must say that God truly showed up for me in so many ways. All my prayers have not been answered yet, but I know God will in His perfect timing.