—Colossians 3:15
Recently, I had my first encounter with an internet troll. I consider myself a positive person, and when I am online, I try my best to avoid unnecessary negativity.
One morning, I was responding to someone’s thread on a message board when a woman—who already had a reputation for being argumentative—decided to challenge something I had written. I responded to her as positively as I could, but she came back with even more hostility.
At that moment, I felt the Lord telling me not to respond again. However, I wanted to prove that I was right and win the argument. Instead of walking away, I continued replying, and we went back and forth in a pointless exchange.
I finally stopped responding when she admitted that she had only replied to me to “stir things up.” In other words, she was simply bored and looking for an argument.
Although the exchange had ended, the rest of my day felt completely off track. I realized that I had spent the entire morning arguing with a stranger online. That was the same time I usually devoted to prayer, reading my Bible, and seeking God.
Then it became clear to me: I had allowed a meaningless distraction to take the place of something spiritually valuable.
I had been given the opportunity to protect my peace, but instead, I chose to defend my pride. I wanted to prove my point, yet the argument produced nothing but frustration and wasted time.
From now on, before I even press the power button on my laptop, I want to give God the first part of my day. Prayer, Scripture, and time in His presence deserve priority over internet debates that lead nowhere.
Not every comment requires a response. Not every disagreement deserves our energy. Sometimes protecting our peace means refusing to participate in confusion, even when we know we are right.
When the peace of Christ is ruling in our hearts, we do not have to win every argument. Sometimes the greatest victory is simply walking away.
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