Social media is completely out of control. Truth and lies are shared interchangeably, and sometimes it’s hard to know which is which. Fear and panic are widespread, and discouraging messages abound.

What we view and listen to impacts us. It influences our hearts and minds, which spills over into our thoughts and actions.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there came a point where I had to unplug from the media because it was causing unnecessary stress and anxiety. As the stress and anxiety spilled out of me, it influenced those around me.

When we listen to the many voices of the world that are swirling around us, it’s so easy to lose our footing and get swept up in that endless spiral.

We begin listening to the world instead of the One who holds the world in His hands. When we put the voices of the world above God, we lose sight of the truth. When we lose sight of the truth, we allow the lies to take its place, and the devil gains a foothold.

“and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:27 NIV)

When the world screams at us, we need to be sure our attention is turned back to God. When fear and anxiety rise within me, I know I haven’t been sitting at the feet of Jesus enough. The fear and anxiety remind me that my attention has been turned to the world.

Psalm 119:105 (NIV) says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

May I turn back to God’s Word and allow it to be a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. May I allow God’s Word to direct my life so that I can clearly see the truth and dwell in that truth.

The path of this world is filled with snares and stumbling blocks that long to trip us up. But the light of God’s Word illuminates those pitfalls so we can be prepared to fight the spiritual forces of evil that are against us.

Which voices are you listening to? Are you focusing on the words of this world or the tender words that God wants you to hear? Is it time to unplug and replace the words of this world with God’s?