Lord, I Just Have To Unfollow.

There she is, the friend I once thought would always be in my life, standing on the stage, taking the place I once held. There she is again, smiling in pictures, playing the saint while I remember the sharp words, the gossip, the way she once treated me and talked about others behind their backs. I see her face on my screen, and it stirs up something heavy—memories of a time I thought I’d let go.

Then there’s the girl from school. The one who was my friend one day but cruel the next. She’d turn the tide against me, and I’d be left standing alone, wondering what I did wrong.

And the old coworker-oh, how I wanted her approval. I was just 15, eager to please, not knowing how to draw boundaries. She would praise me one moment and accuse me the next with harsh words and a decent amount of bullying, and I stayed, thinking I had no choice.

And yet, here I am now, years later, scrolling past their posts and others who once made moments of my life almost unbearable. We don’t like or comment on each other’s updates, but I still follow them. Why? Maybe to keep tabs, to compare, to see how their lives have turned out. But every time I see their faces, it pulls me back to a place I promised I’d left behind.

I’ve prayed for healing. I’ve asked God to take away the shame, the hurt, the bitterness. But it’s hard to heal when I leave the door cracked open, still peeking in, still replaying the past.

It’s not just about them. It’s also about me. About how I feel when I see their successes—do I feel a twinge of envy? Do I start wondering why God seems to be blessing them, even though I know the pain they caused? And then I wonder… am I still holding their past against them? Am I holding them in the prison of who they used to be, while I claim to want freedom for myself?

Sometimes it’s hard to admit, but keeping tabs on people like this is a way of holding on. It feels like control, but really, it’s just baggage. And it’s baggage I need to set down.

So, I unfollow…

Not because I want to hurt them. But because I’m ready to truly move on. Unfollowing isn’t about shutting the door in anger; it’s about protecting the space where God is working in my heart. It’s about choosing peace over comparison. It’s about saying, I release this. I release them.

I think there’s an upside and a downside to how we share our lives on social media these days. On one hand, it’s incredible that we can reach people for the Kingdom in ways we never dreamed of. We can share the gospel, encourage friends and strangers, or stay connected with family overseas. But then I find myself asking: Why do I have 200 people on my private page that I barely know or haven’t interacted with in years?

Why am I carrying this invisible weight of people I don’t even speak to, and how is the enemy using this to hold me back?

Because that’s what it is—a strategy. A distraction. A way to keep us scrolling and looking back, instead of living fully and looking forward. Social media can be a tool for good, but it can also be a trap for comparison, envy, and regret. It’s a space where the past is never really the past because it’s one click or scroll away.

Lot’s wife couldn’t resist looking back. And her story is a cautionary one. When God calls us forward, it’s because He has something better in store. But we can’t embrace the new while clinging to the old.

So I Release…

And it’s crazy I’m living in a time where I’m even writing about social media. A thing that never existed in my youth. But here I am and I want to say this… When we unfollow, we’re not just clicking a button. We’re choosing not to look back. We’re deciding to let go of the relationships or reminders that hinder our growth and keep us tethered to old wounds. It’s not about bitterness or avoidance—it’s about obedience to the call to move forward.

Friend, don’t be afraid to unfollow. Don’t be afraid to release the relationships or reminders that keep pulling you back to places you’ve prayed to leave behind. Trust that God sees what you need to move forward, and He’s working for your good, even in the letting go.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Love Sarah x.

*Thank you for showing up each & every week here. I am so grateful for your hearts, comments and shares. They truly mean more than you know! Starting in 2025 I will be doing one free and one paid post per week and hanging out in the Little Sparrow Loved Chat space more, talking, praying and uploading videos. So if you’ve been thinking of upgrading & becoming a part of the Little Sparrow Loved Crew, I’ve got some great things coming up (totally optional of course). See you in the New Year. Be blessed, be a light!