1 00:00:02,660 --> 00:00:13,930 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We are so 2 00:00:13,990 --> 00:00:17,009 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,070 --> 00:00:21,370 Speaker 1: topic is about seeking God's approval rather than people's. We 4 00:00:21,390 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: will return after a brief message from our sponsor. Unfollowing 5 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: Social Media Written by Vivian Bricker Read by Rochelle Alberti 6 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: Bible Reading So in everything, do to others what you 7 00:00:48,740 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: would have them do to you, for this sums up 8 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:57,020 Speaker 1: the law and the prophets. Matthew 7, 12 Each time 9 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,700 Speaker 1: I see my follower count go down on social media, 10 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,870 Speaker 1: I automatically feel like the little kid I was in 11 00:01:03,010 --> 00:01:06,710 Speaker 1: 6th grade. My feelings get hurt. and I start feeling 12 00:01:06,770 --> 00:01:11,370 Speaker 1: bad about myself. Depending on who the person is, it 13 00:01:11,410 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: can hurt even worse. Recently, I had someone I thought 14 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: was a real friend unfollow me. Their unfollowing caught me 15 00:01:19,459 --> 00:01:23,100 Speaker 1: off guard, but I figured that, like everyone else, they 16 00:01:23,140 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: didn't like me much either. Even though this person chose 17 00:01:27,220 --> 00:01:30,670 Speaker 1: to unfollow me, I didn't choose to unfollow them back. 18 00:01:31,530 --> 00:01:35,530 Speaker 1: Clicking the unfollow button is intentional. often with the thought 19 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:39,220 Speaker 1: that you don't care about the person anymore. Since social 20 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,420 Speaker 1: media is one of the main ways we connect with 21 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: others today, unfollowing someone can feel similar to leaving their 22 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,420 Speaker 1: life and choosing not to engage with them anymore. Even 23 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,510 Speaker 1: though I am an adult and I am doing better 24 00:01:51,550 --> 00:01:54,990 Speaker 1: mentally than I have in a long time, I cannot 25 00:01:55,070 --> 00:01:57,270 Speaker 1: shake the pain it brings when someone I thought was 26 00:01:57,310 --> 00:02:01,630 Speaker 1: a friend disconnects from my life. However, while talking with 27 00:02:01,690 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: a wise friend, She told me that they were never 28 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,260 Speaker 1: really my friends to begin with. This was the second 29 00:02:07,300 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: time someone had said something like this to me, which 30 00:02:10,139 --> 00:02:12,590 Speaker 1: showed me that God was trying to tell me something. 31 00:02:13,910 --> 00:02:17,710 Speaker 1: We don't need to seek approval from humankind. Instead, we 32 00:02:17,770 --> 00:02:20,770 Speaker 1: must remember that God already accepts us as we are. 33 00:02:21,669 --> 00:02:25,170 Speaker 1: If other people don't like us, that's okay. And if 34 00:02:25,210 --> 00:02:28,169 Speaker 1: they are offended when we share our honest feelings, then 35 00:02:28,230 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: that's okay too. However, That doesn't mean what they did 36 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,860 Speaker 1: didn't hurt us. In truth, when a friend unfollows us, 37 00:02:36,260 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: it can make us feel worthless. Bring these feelings to 38 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:45,070 Speaker 1: God and set them at His feet. 1 Peter 5.7 39 00:02:45,070 --> 00:02:47,970 Speaker 1: Tell Him how their words and actions hurt your feelings. 40 00:02:49,070 --> 00:02:52,930 Speaker 1: It is enough to say, Lord, my friend unfollowed me 41 00:02:53,230 --> 00:02:56,730 Speaker 1: and it makes me feel awful. God will meet you 42 00:02:56,770 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: where you are and cover you with His support. As 43 00:03:00,460 --> 00:03:03,540 Speaker 1: the Bible says, He will cover you with His feathers, 44 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: and under His wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness 45 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,929 Speaker 1: will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91.4 Intersecting Faith 46 00:03:12,990 --> 00:03:17,370 Speaker 1: and Life The Lord tells us, So in everything, do 47 00:03:17,410 --> 00:03:19,389 Speaker 1: to others what you would have them do to you. 48 00:03:19,930 --> 00:03:24,230 Speaker 1: For this sums up the law and the prophets. Matthew 49 00:03:24,230 --> 00:03:27,460 Speaker 1: 7.12 This passage is now known as the Golden Rule. 50 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: It is often taught in schools to help children learn 51 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,169 Speaker 1: how to treat others well. As followers of the Lord, 52 00:03:34,510 --> 00:03:36,870 Speaker 1: He doesn't want us to hurt others with our actions. 53 00:03:37,490 --> 00:03:41,770 Speaker 1: He wants us to extend kindness, love, and support. Even 54 00:03:41,830 --> 00:03:45,090 Speaker 1: if other people hurt us, we must turn the other cheek. 55 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,980 Speaker 1: Matthew 5, 38-40 Just because they are mean and hurtful 56 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,420 Speaker 1: toward us doesn't mean we need to return the pain. 57 00:03:52,420 --> 00:03:56,370 Speaker 1: 1 Peter 3, 9 If we don't want others to 58 00:03:56,410 --> 00:03:59,610 Speaker 1: be mean to us, unfollow us, or unfriend us, we 59 00:03:59,650 --> 00:04:02,710 Speaker 1: don't need to do those things to others. By filtering 60 00:04:02,930 --> 00:04:05,650 Speaker 1: our actions and words through the Word of God, we 61 00:04:05,670 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: will be able to truly shine brightly for Jesus. Has 62 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: anyone unfollowed you? How did that make you feel? How 63 00:04:14,900 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: can you start treating others the way you want to 64 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:22,190 Speaker 1: be treated, both in person and online? Pray with me. 65 00:04:23,380 --> 00:04:26,970 Speaker 1: Dear Jesus, Other people have unfollowed me on social media 66 00:04:27,029 --> 00:04:30,390 Speaker 1: in the past, and it is very hurtful. It makes 67 00:04:30,430 --> 00:04:33,669 Speaker 1: me feel like I'm worthless. Please help me to remember 68 00:04:33,710 --> 00:04:36,890 Speaker 1: that my worth is in you and that you will 69 00:04:36,930 --> 00:04:39,890 Speaker 1: love me always. Help me to turn my heart away 70 00:04:39,950 --> 00:04:43,620 Speaker 1: from evil and turn it towards you. Equip my heart 71 00:04:43,660 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: with the ability to treat others the way I want 72 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,220 Speaker 1: to be treated and to repay evil with blessing. In 73 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: your name I pray. Amen. Further reading, Psalm 34, 18. 74 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: Psalm 55, 22. Matthew 11, 28-30. 75 00:05:03,220 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 76 00:05:10,740 --> 00:05:12,820 Speaker 2: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 77 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:16,849 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 78 00:05:16,890 --> 00:05:20,210 Speaker 2: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 79 00:05:20,230 --> 00:05:23,340 Speaker 2: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, So your 80 00:05:23,380 --> 00:05:27,020 Speaker 2: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 81 00:05:27,060 --> 00:05:29,820 Speaker 2: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 82 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:33,979 Speaker 2: focused on the right things, search for Your Daily Prayer 83 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,169 Speaker 2: in your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow 84 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,150 Speaker 2: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 85 00:05:40,210 --> 00:05:41,610 Speaker 2: to you each morning. 86 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,219 Speaker 3: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 87 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 3: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 88 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,900 Speaker 3: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 89 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 3: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 90 00:06:04,940 --> 00:06:08,060 Speaker 3: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 91 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,860 Speaker 3: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 92 00:06:11,260 --> 00:06:14,020 Speaker 3: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 93 00:06:14,260 --> 00:06:16,420 Speaker 3: so many of you filled out a few months back. 94 00:06:16,770 --> 00:06:19,340 Speaker 3: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 95 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 3: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 96 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,930 Speaker 3: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 97 00:06:25,250 --> 00:06:26,150 Speaker 3: We'd love to have you.