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Jan 30, 2025 06:00am

Beautiful Gifts

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“In the spring of 2023, United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, released an advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health, in which he says there is growing evidence that social media is causing harm to young people’s mental health. Soon after, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued its own health advisory. A year later, in June 2024, Dr. Murthy called for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, which would require an act of Congress to implement.”

This is a quote from an article in Yale Medicine written by Kathy Katella. The purpose of the article is to warn parents of the negative effects of social media on our teens’ mental health.

Depression, anxiety, sleep loss, body image issues, and an increase in thoughts of suicide are all things doctors are warning parents about concerning social media.

But wait… wasn’t social media intended for something totally different?

It was created to connect people, make friends, share the joy of your life experiences, and make the world a smaller place.

But many things in this world that were created for good have been distorted, misused, abused, and have become harmful.

Romans 1:26-27
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.
27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

When God created man and woman, He gave them a gift, one that was beautiful and holy. But when man chose to sin and disobeyed God, Satan distorted this beautiful gift. He tempted people with their desires and urged them to pursue things that were unnatural, making this once beautiful gift into something vile and unholy.

The enemy is precisely that. He is our enemy. He will do whatever he can to get us to doubt God’s goodness and will. He wants us to believe God is holding something back from us, just as he did with Eve in the garden.

He twists the truth. He entices, tempts, and fools people into believing that “This is natural. This is how God made you. Do what feels right.” And with it comes negative effects.

Homosexuality and perversion were just as rampant in Paul’s day as it is in ours today. Paul pointed out to the Romans that society does not set the standard by which we live. Our standards are according to God and are found in His Word.

My friends, God DID create you. And He made you into something beautiful with an incredible mind, voice, and heart. But Satan wants to take everything that is beautiful and distort it. Do not let him abuse you in that way. God has a purpose for you. He loves you, and His Word is a guide to protect us, to set us apart for Him, and to show His great love for us. When His Word calls it sin, the enemy wants you to believe otherwise.

And here’s the most beautiful thing about it- God forgives. Whatever we have done to misuse the beautiful gifts He has given us, He is faithful and just to forgive. And He can set our feet on a path away from sin and to righteousness.

Lord, guide us towards you and away from what the world says is “okay.” Help us see your truth, live it, know it, and share it – in love. Release the grip these sinful desires have and restore us to you! Amen.

Want to know more about following Jesus? Do you want to learn more of the forgiveness that He has for you? Go to follow.lifeword.org and let me show you.