Editor’s Note: I wrote a book to help believers overcome obstacles in prayer! Learn more about When Prayer Is a Struggle or buy it on Amazon.
I have recently thought a lot about what it means to follow Christ on social media. As someone who is on social media more than most people (due to my work), I thought it would be helpful to write a prayer that Christians can use to tune their hearts and minds to be better disciples of Christ online. Some of these phrases and ideas are borrowed from a recommended book about life and faith in the digital world called The Next Story by Tim Challies.
It is my hope that God will help you make this prayer your own as you seek to follow Christ on social media:
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the good gift of the Internet and social media through which we can create, communicate, learn, and glorify you. I thank you for the ways you have blessed our world and made lives easier because of the Internet. I praise you for giving the good gifts of creativity and work, and that we can reflect your image online.
I pray that the Gospel message would speed ahead through the Internet and social media, proclaiming the glories of Christ and reaching many in this generation with the saving message of Christ.
I confess that my sinful heart can twist the neutral tools of technology and use them for sin and idolatry. I confess a greedy and lustful heart that is at times too easily pleased with something other than your good, pleasing, and perfect will for my life.
I pray that you would help me to avoid technology’s unintended consequences like idolizing gadgets, using gadgets to feed other idols in my life, or to keep me from relating to others you have called me to love.
I humbly ask for you to grant me the right desires not to build my own kingdom on the social media, but to build yours, not to be a slave to sin, but to be a slave to righteousness, not to have a lustful heart, but to flee from lust and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace from a pure heart.
I pray for you would help me to live a fruitful and productive life for Christ and that the Internet would only aid me in my work and Christian calling.
I pray that you would grant me contentment, self-control and deep insight into ways I subtly tend to fashion idols while using social media.
Help me to discern with all wisdom my thoughts, words, and actions as well as the words and actions of others.
May my speech build others up and point them to the Savior, testifying always to his grace and truth.
May my relationships through technology communicate the deep care of the Savior, showing his love through my words and deeds.
May my stewardship of resources point to the Maker of all things, showing his wise and generous heart.
May my time on the Internet and social media cause me to have a deeper communion with the Holy Spirit and a deeper love for the written word and the Word made flesh.
May my eyes be fixed on eternity and to remember that life is a vapor and that eternal life is found in Jesus Christ.
May my heart’s cry be to glorify you and proclaim Jesus Christ through every message, tweet, and blog post.
In all things, may Christ become greater and may I become less.
In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
