Should I Delete My Instagram or Use it to Evangelize?

To be fair, Instagram was originally meant to be a space for creativity, forming connections with old friends and new ones, and even for sharing one’s thoughts and opinions. However, it can also feel like a battlefield of comparison, distraction, and vanity.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, Maybe I should delete this app and never go on it again, you are not the only one. As Catholic women seeking holiness in this digital age, we are often faced with a difficult choice: Should we stay online and be a witness to Christ, or should we log off for the sake of productivity? Let’s explore both sides.

Where People Scroll, the Church is Present

The Church has always been present wherever people are, and today, people are on their phones. For pleasure, for work, to catch up with EWTN online, people spend a good chunk of time scrolling on their phones. In an article from Vatican News, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pope to declare the term “digital continent” for social media, where people can evangelize online. Pope Francis echoed this in Christus Vivit, where social networks provide an “opportunity for dialogue, encounter and exchange between persons, as well as access to information and knowledge.”

You do not need a theology degree or a huge following to evangelize to people online. You simply need to have a genuine and authentic desire to glorify God in a way that is suitable to your call, even if that is in captions and reels.

In addition, many have found friends, support, and even discernment companions through Instagram. You are not just curating a feed, you are forming a network of opportunities to evangelize and build up other Catholics, one comment or DM at a time.

Feeling Drained? It Might Be Your Feed

At the same time, scrolling often leaves many feeling less holy, less pretty, draining us of energy and motivation to actually do what we need to do in the physical world. Saint Ignatius called this “desolation,” where you feel anxious, drained, or further from God.

If social media consistently drains you and causes you to put distance between you and the Lord, then you may need to consider your social media use. Even good Catholic accounts can create a sense of comparison in us.

Why don’t I look put together after having three kids under four years old?
Why aren’t I doing lectio divina at 6 a.m. with a candle and latte art?
Why can’t I find a group to do an aesthetic Bible study with every Tuesday?
I haven’t read the entire Summa Theologiae, but all my friends have!

If your Instagram habits are choking your prayer life, stealing your job and confidence, then that is a red flag. If you are constantly checking your feed instead of feeding on the Word of God, you are starving your soul while feeding your flesh. Social media may update you on the world, but only God’s Word and teaching can transform your heart and align your life with Heaven’s glory.

Even when you are posting “for God,” it is easy to get caught up in the likes, followers, aesthetic appearances, and self-promotion. Saint Francis de Sales warned that “all works, small or great, however good they may be in themselves, are of no value and profit us nothing, if they are not done in charity and through charity” (source). If social media becomes more about curating holiness than actually living it, it may be time to rethink your intentions.

Silence is where we tend to hear God’s voice more clearly and loudly. Once we cancel out the noise of the world, God speaks in a way we might not have been able to hear before we chose to listen to Him. Constantly consuming posts and live videos can stunt one’s ability to listen actively in prayer—discerning clearly and being fully present.

Is Your Time Online Bearing Good Fruit?

Here are some questions to help you discern your digital life honestly:

Does my time on Instagram bear good fruit? Does it bring me peace? Or does it lead me to envy others and stir up restlessness in my heart? (see Matthew 7:17-23)
Am I here to give or to get? Do I encourage others with my work, or do I crave praise and affirmation? (see Matthew 6:1-4)
Is my Instagram leading me closer to God, or making me self-centered? (see Philippians 2:3-4)

God may not be calling you to delete your social media, but He may be calling you to change how you use your talents and gifts online.

Ways to Use Instagram More Intentionally

Unfollow accounts that stir envy, jealousy, or pride in your heart.
Set time limits for whichever apps you use. This could be 30 minutes a day or only checking in the afternoons.
Before posting, even if it is a DM, ask yourself, “Does this glorify and honor God?”
Try fasting from socials regularly. Consider giving up Instagram for Lent. Who knows, you may enjoy it so much that you decide to never log on again!
Use Lent or Advent as a digital sabbath. Focus on engaging with others to form genuine relationships, not based on performance.

My Final Thoughts

In no way, shape, or form am I saying social media is bad. I do uphold the belief that it can be negative if not used properly—yet, there can be great beauty in using it for the glory of God. As Catholics, we are not called to be content creators first—we are called to be Jesus’ disciples.

As Paul says beautifully in the First Letter to the Corinthians, “. . . whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

So, the choice is yours. Whether you delete Instagram or stay, the question is not really about your presence online, it is about your soul. Are you becoming more Christ-like through it? Are you loving God and your neighbors because of your online persona?

If yes, stay and be a witness, and evangelize when you get the chance. If not, take a step back. You do not have to cold turkey it. Even if you want to limit your time on the app, and slowly begin to delete whatever does not glorify God, that is a good step to take!

Either way, your worth is not in how many followers you have, who likes your posts, or if you have the trendy aesthetic. Your worth is measured in the One Who calls you His beloved—Christ.

Victoria Cardona holds a bachelor's and master's degree in theology from Ave Maria University, with minors in education and catechetics. She is currently pursuing a master's in educational leadership at St. Thomas University. Victoria is a published writer, with her work primarily featured on Caeli, Magdala, and The Star of Bethlehem, where her reflections explore themes of faith, beauty, and discipleship. She draws strength in the lives of the Saints, the beauty of Adoration, and the quiet strength of our Lady, as she strives to live each day with gratitude, simplicity, and joy.