Facebook: Good or Evil (especially when you’re on the mission field)

OK. Let me start by saying this, “I think Facebook is an amazing piece of technology and I’m glad I have it.” To have the ability to stay connected and talk to people back in the US (and all over the world) at any time of the day or night (if the internet is working, that is) is awesome! I really don’t go on it (Facebook) that much. I mean, I don’t “Facebook stalk” (you know what I’m talkin’ about, so don’t play dumb) or anything like that, but I do correspond with friends and family almost daily through it and it’s free. So that’s a good thing. 

But on the flip side... when I go on it (Facebook) and I see pictures of everyone on their vacations or I have to see the picture of the new car they just bought their wife (that just happened the other day) or I have to hear about how awesome dinner was at the restaurant I use to frequent back in the States... well honestly, I get frustrated sometimes. Now I don’t get frustrated with the person who just posted the picture or made the comment, I’m glad they’re blessed and happy. I get frustrated with God. I get frustrated because when I see the pictures of the new sanctuary my friend just moved into and the lighting and video equipment they have is amazing, then I look at the facility we minister in and how crappy it is and how it’s in the middle of the jungle and how the toilets don’t even work because there’s no water... I start asking God “what’s up?!” Why me? Why can’t I minister back in the States to people I can actually speak fluently to in a facility that has heat and a/c? Why God? Then the next statement that goes through my mind (because I’m way too spiritual to actually say it out loud) is “God, it’s not fair! It’s not fair that me and my family are here in this ___________ (just fill in the blank... chances are it’s the word I was thinking, haha) and everyone else is back home where it’s comfortable. Because I can guarantee that none of you were snuggling with a 2 liter Coke bottle (that you heated up in the microwave) to stay warm last night. And I can just about bet my paycheck (actually I don’t get a paycheck... so scratch that) that you weren’t stuck for almost a month on the top of a mountain, in the middle of the jungle because it rained so much that you couldn’t drive on the muddy roads and everyone is going crazy because they’re so cold and wet either, right? 

So when I see all those pictures and I read the comments of my friends (most of whom are in the ministry too) heck yeah, I get frustrated. And I ask God, why me? 

Now, the spiritual pep talk I usually give myself (to push past all the “why me” thoughts) usually goes something like this... but Jim, you’re impacting people with the Gospel and your gonna have Heavenly rewards to enjoy for all eternity.” You and your family answered the call when most others would’ve said, “no.” You’re doing what God called you to do and... you get the idea, right? And I usually quote that scripture to myself from II Cor. 10:12 where it says that comparing myself to others is unwise. Then if that doesn’t work I’ll recall the time where Jesus was telling Peter how he (Peter) was going to die and Peter wasn’t diggin’ it too much and asked, well what about John ( John 21) and Jesus basically told him to just worry about himself. And that usually gets me through any pity parties I periodically have.

But here lately God’s been showing me something else through times like this. He’s shown me how wicked my heart actually is.  

He’s shown me that it’s something much deeper than “just measuring my life against someone else’s.” You see, I can rejoice and be happy for someone else who’s been blessed or whose situation is better (physically or financially) than mine. I don’t wrestle with that at all. My problem is thinking that it’s not fair that God isn’t blessing me (mostly in the area of comfort and ease of life) like most of the people I know. And that’s where my sinfulness is revealed and I’ll explain why. You see, whenever I’m dissatisfied with my life or whenever I’m dissatisfied with my circumstances, it’s like saying “God, I don’t think the life you’ve given me is good enough for me because I deserve better. I mean, I know what’s best for me not you, God! So you (God) aren’t really doing that great of a job providing for me and giving me  everything I need.”

You may think that’s going a little over-the-top, but it isn’t. Because if I really believe that God is my provider and that He has my life in His hands, then I need to be content with whatever my situation is at the present time, right? The Apostle Paul actually wrote about the same thing. It says in Philippians 4-

“for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

And that’s the thing I’m trying to learn... contentment. Contentment, no matter what the circumstance and no matter what everyone else’s circumstance is compared to mine.

So back to the question, “is Facebook evil?” No, it’s not. My heart is. And that's why I need to continually press-in to Jesus so that I can be changed by Him (progressive sanctification). So go ahead. Post all the pictures of all your new cars and your awesome vacations. It’s just making me stronger. 

But the pictures of all the food? STOP! Because that’s just wrong.

Learning to be Content With My Life,

Jim