I hate social media.

I love it because I can post an article such as this, and stay in touch with former classmates.

But I hate it because it can also create a disillusion-a disillusion that is seeping into our churches, our schools, our homes, and everywhere in between.

Social media casts a filtered look on reality, and tricks people into thinking our lives are perfect when in reality they are bruised and broken.

Why is it that we only post photos of the good things that are happening in our lives?

Hanging out with friends? Let's snap a picture, throw an awesome filter on it, add a witty caption, and click post.

We want people to see our filtered lives-our cute clothes, good-looking body, perfect boyfriend, etc. We put filters up to hide the scars. To hide that every night we must kneel before God and pour our hearts out just to get through the next 24 hours. To hide the emotional baggage that is becoming harder and harder to carry.

And it becomes a vicious cycle.

Her life seems perfect on social media, then I have to be perfect too. None of my "followers" are going through struggles. I have to hide mine so they will perceive me as normal.

I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of this too. Behind my smiles I am hurting. And I am done. I want to be unfiltered.

Every single one of us struggles, whether we want to admit it or not. We were born into a sinful world. A world where we must put our entire reliance on God, not social media, not the President, not our favorite celebrity, but God. He is truly the only perfect person who has ever lived and ever will live.

So next time you start to post a photo with 3 filters and a fake smile, ask yourself, what image am I giving off.