September 29
Lost
in the Scroll
"Teach us to realize how short our lives are. Then our hearts will become wise."
Psalm 90:12 (NIrV)
Gemma’s eyes burned as she stared at the glowing screen, her thumb moving automatically. Like. Comment. Scroll. Reply. It was a never-ending cycle. The morning sun had risen hours ago, but she was still curled up in bed, caught in the web of endless updates.
A new message popped up. “Hey, did you see what Sophie posted?”
She quickly flicked over to Sophie’s profile—another stunning vacation picture, the turquoise sea behind her, a flawless smile on her face. Jealousy twisted in Gemma’s chest. Must be nice… she thought.
Another notification. Someone had liked her latest post. She had spent nearly half an hour crafting that one, finding the perfect lighting for her coffee and open book, even though she had barely read a page. The caption was vague but inspiring: "Saturday productivity!" It looked effortless—but in reality, it had taken multiple retakes and edits.
Her fingers danced over the keyboard as she replied to messages that meant nothing. “Haha, yeah totally!” “So true!” “Omg, love this!” She barely thought before hitting send. It was just noise—meaningless back-and-forths that filled the silence.
More scrolling. More perfectly edited snapshots of people’s lives. Expensive dinners, designer bags, smiling couples. Every image told a story, but Gemma knew deep down it was only the part they wanted her to see. Just like her own posts.
The hours slipped away.
She sat up suddenly, her stomach twisting with unease. What am I doing?
The realization hit her like a wave. She had spent hours today scrolling, reacting, pretending—while her real life was passing her by. She hadn’t done anything meaningful. She hadn’t even spoken to a real friend today, just sent empty words through a screen.
Tears pricked her eyes. She picked up her phone, but this time, not to scroll. Instead, she pulled up her contacts and hit call.
“Hey,” she said when her friend answered. “Want to grab coffee tonight? Like, actually catch up?”
Her friend’s enthusiastic yes made her smile. This—real connection, real conversation—was what she had been missing.
Gemma put her phone down and took a deep breath. Today, she was choosing to live, not just to watch.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I confess that I often waste my time chasing after things that do not matter.
I get caught up in comparison, in distractions, and in trying to present a perfect version of my life.
But You have given me this time as a gift, and I don’t want to waste it.
Teach me to use my days wisely, to seek real connections, and to focus on what truly matters.
Help me to live fully, with a heart centered on You.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
