#Struggles with Craig Groeschel - Life.Church

Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World

Scripture References

• James 3:14-16
• 2 Corinthians 3:6
• 2 Corinthians 3:17

Overview

Social media offers amazing tools, yet it is quietly rewiring our hearts. Craig Groeschel explores how easy it is to “live for likes and long for love,” slip into comparison, and hide behind digital filters. He exposes the spiritual danger of envy, shows that only Christ can remove the veil we place over our true selves, and invites us to pursue real freedom, intimacy, and identity in Him.

Context

The message launches the themes of Craig’s book “#Struggles: Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World.” He affirms the church’s passion for technology (Church Online, YouVersion) while warning against its unintended relational costs.

Main Points

The Term “Friend” Is Evolving

• Friendship once meant shared life; today it can mean a stranger who “follows” you.
• Average U.S. Facebook user: 328 “friends,” yet the average person reports only two close friends; 25 % say they have zero.
• Result: high online interaction, low personal intimacy.

Addicted to Immediate Affirmation

• A selfie posted now returns likes and comments within minutes.

• Illustration: Craig pauses mid-message to snap multiple selfies, showing how quickly online feedback appears.

• Dopamine spikes drive the loop: “Who liked it? Why didn’t she?”
• Sociologists call it “deferred loneliness”—short-term validation postpones deep relational need.

“We are living for likes and longing for love.”

Friendship on Our Own Terms

• Digital control: read or ignore texts, like or scroll, follow or unfollow—maintaining selective distance.
• “I manage the friendship; you see only the part of me I choose to show.”

The Dark Side of Comparison

• Panel of young adults admits:
  • Pre-judging people by their profiles.
  • Curating the “perfect” image and filter.
  • Following influencers that trigger envy, insecurity, or body image issues.

• Quote: “It’s like comparing your behind-the-scenes to everybody else’s highlight reel.” —Steven Furtick

• James 3:14-16 labels envy “earthly, unspiritual, demonic,” producing “disorder and every evil practice.”
• Practical kills: temporary social-media fasts, hiding triggering feeds, canceling catalogs, deleting shopping apps, avoiding shows that fuel discontent.

Stories of Conviction and Change

• Story: Michelle, a young mom, deletes her social apps. Four days in she feels lonely and forgotten, then rediscovers piano playing, backyard tents, and walks with her son. “Social media still exists, it just doesn’t grip my heart.”
• Story: A student reviews his selfies—hunting, gym shots—realizes he’s using them to validate his masculinity.

The Veil of Filtering

• 2 Corinthians 3:6: a veil once covered Moses’ face; now our digital filters create a modern veil.
• What starts as superficial image management becomes a spiritual condition—nobody knows the real you.
• Many can’t name one person who knows their deepest thoughts: “If I show the real me, I fear you won’t like me.”

Only Christ Removes the Veil and Gives Freedom

• Turning to more likes never satisfies; turning to the Lord removes the veil (2 Corinthians 3:6).
• 2 Corinthians 3:17:

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

• Identity shifts from others’ approval to God’s approval: “My worth isn’t in followers but in who I follow.”
• With unveiled faces, believers are “transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.”

Key Truths

• Online interaction cannot replace face-to-face intimacy.
• Instant affirmation meets a momentary need but deepens long-term loneliness.
• Comparison is not merely unwise; Scripture calls envy demonic.
• Filtering our image eventually veils our hearts until we forget who we really are.
• Only in Christ do we find lasting identity, freedom, and the courage to live unfiltered.

Response

• Examine your screen habits; identify any dysfunctional patterns.
• Schedule a purposeful break from social media or delete a triggering app.
• Hide or unfollow accounts that stir envy or insecurity.
• Replace scrolling time with face-to-face conversations, prayer, or Scripture reading.
• Ground your worth daily in Christ’s approval rather than public affirmation.

Closing

Craig calls the church to move from “living for likes” to living from God’s love. Real change begins when we turn to Christ and let Him remove the veil, freeing us to love people in front of us with authenticity.

“Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away… and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Prayer

Craig led the congregation to admit dysfunctional tech habits, ask God to be first, and surrender to Jesus for true identity and freedom.