By Lim Chien Chong

Social media has become one of the most powerful tools in our lives today, With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), social media would even be more dominant in every aspect of our lives.

While social media has brought about greater connectivity among people and faster access to information (among other things), it has also brought about many adverse effects too. We know of individuals who suffer from addiction, cyber-bullying, radicalisation and fake news. We are exposing ourselves to loads of ideas and images behind the countless hours of doomscrolling and online entertainment.

Excessive use of social media has also been one of the big contributing factors to poor mental well-being. In Singapore, it was reported* that one in three young people between 15 and 35 years old was found to have symptoms such as depression and anxiety while one in ten youths was found to have a current mental disorder.

While the Bible does not specifically address the issue of social media (as it was compiled way before the technological age), it has much to say about how the proper use of the mind can bring about wholeness and well-being.

As early as 700BC, this is what Isaiah recorded for us, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isa 26:3)

The prophet talks about “perfect peace”. It is translated from the Hebrew word “Shalom” which actually means wholeness, completeness and a holistic well-being. And this wholeness is something that God gives.

With the fall that came with our sin, every aspect of our lives, including the use of our minds, is fractured. But God can bring about healing and restoration to this fracture if we have our minds stayed on Him.

Today, instead of staying our minds on Him to find healing, we expose and load our fractured minds with all sorts of content. It is almost like overloading and putting excess weight on a fractured bone when it is not healed. The fracture will result in breakage, and even wreckage.

In reaching our youth, the message we are sharing is, instead of overloading our fractured minds (especially through social media), find wholeness in our minds and lives in God through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

*National Youth Mental Health Study 2024 by the Institute of Mental Health