In a world of Instagram perfect homes, bodies and relationships, Snapchat filters, features and presets, it's impossible to know what is happening and what part is reality.
Studies show a direct correlation between the introduction of social media apps and the increase in teen/pre-teen rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. The biggest age group being 12 -15-year-old girls.
But it's not just young girls that are being affected negatively by the intrusion of these apps. Adults are feeling the pressure to be perfect as well. To the point that we are ignoring and denying our life struggles. When someone asks us how we are we say, tired, busy or well I woke up this morning. But even with our dear "in-person" friends, we don't open up as we once did. We can't let people know we are struggling with addiction, work, food, kids, finances.
Jesus tells us to confess our sins with each other; he doesn't expect us to be perfect, he knows we aren't and never can be. He wants us to connect with others who are also struggling with sin, or life issues so that we can help each other heal. Build each other up with prayer and honesty.
If we don't talk to each other about these issues then we are bound to carry them around gathering guilt, shame and further sin. How much weight are you carrying that belongs to someone else? Who are you trying to impress with your Pinterest perfect home? What help is having perfectly manicured nails while you are scraping by to pay for food and heat?
Opening up and sharing give others the courage and strength to admit their imperfections as well. What a relief when we find out that we are not the only broken one. Of the 7.5 billion people on earth, what makes you so special that you are the only one who has trouble?
