Swipe, Stop, Stay

Trading endless scrolling for a Friendship that never disappears

You open TikTok. You swipe. You scroll. Another minute passes. Another life hack. Another pair of sneakers. Another piece of advice about getting richer, happier, smarter. It fills your eyes. But it hollows out your heart.

Saint John Chrysostom saw this empty restlessness already 1,600 years ago: “If you are a Christian, no earthly city is yours.”

We try to fill the ache with new sneakers, Instagram, or the halo of being “that really holy student.” The crowd in John’s Gospel, chapter 6, tried it with free lunch and spectacle. But Jesus’ words slice through the noise: “Do not work for food that cannot last.” Translation? Stop grinding for things with an expiry date. The One who feeds five thousand is offering a friendship that outlives the cosmos.

So, here is your challenge for today. Do a micro-fast: pausing one scrolling app until next Sunday. Spend those rescued minutes reading John’s gospel, chapter 6. Slowly. Maybe just a few verses at a time. Let yourself get bored. Let yourself get restless. Let yourself get hungry for something deeper. You don't have to be perfect. If you slip up, start again. Grace is always bigger than your attention span.

I promise you, tomorrow your soul will feel already a little lighter. That empty space in your heart? It’s where Christ slips in and whispers, “Welcome home.”

Picture: thanks to DrMedYourRasenn at Pixabay