FOMO

When fear overcomes a person, they are controlled by it. Have you ever heard the term FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)? Hold that thought…
 
What happened in the Garden of Eden when the woman ate of the forbidden fruit? Apparently, she was suffering from a case of FOMO! God had said that she and Adam could eat from any tree in the garden, except one. They died that day in the Garden because of FOMO. Satan sold them a lie and they bought it.
 
How often have you made poor decisions because of FOMO? Maybe you stayed an extra hour or two someplace when you should’ve been back home. Maybe you drank too much, too, as a result of getting swept up into the scene. Maybe you didn’t study hard enough for that final exam because you didn’t want to miss a party. Maybe you spent hundreds of dollars on beauty products for fear of missing out on the attention of others. Maybe you compromised standing up for Christ for fear of being excluded from social circles. The list goes on and on, doesn’t it?
 
What’s the strategy to overcome this? Trust (aka faith). Instead of being afraid of missing out, trust in the Lord and His plan for your life and FOMO will lose its grip on you.
 
Stop “relaxing” by surfing the Internet, social media, or watching TV. Don’t you know those mediums are actually designed to sow FOMO? Haven’t you figured that out yet? Or will it take a hundred more views of someone’s Instagram page before you figure out that FOMO has driven you there? You might say, “Oh no, I go there to celebrate the success and happiness of others!” Oh yeah? Then why are you secretly jealous that you didn’t get to go on that vacation like they did with their perfect little family, cuddling on the beach in their white linen clothing? Which emotion dominates you the most long-term, the supposed joy or the latent jealousy?
 
FOMO is sneaky. It often hides inside Trojan horse moments of joy. Maybe you really are happy for others. However, what often starts off as something good and pure ends up haunting you (that is your flesh, btw). The question is why? It’s simple. Humans are inherently competitive (it’s a result of the fall in the Garden). Our flesh doesn’t like it when someone else has something we don’t.
 
Back to the strategy of overcoming FOMO…



The Bible teaches us to turn the tables around on FOMO so that we no longer live in fear; but, rather with godly expectation and trust in the Lord’s provision over any other alternative. With a little perspective, we can beat FOMO at its own game! Consider this…if you’re off doing something outside of God’s plan for you, then guess what? You’re missing out on something! Only in this case, it’s the best possible option (see also previous blog, Options).
 
So, we must learn how to discipline ourselves in our moments of weakness. We must recognize FOMO and defeat it before it can set its hooks in us. We must remind ourselves that whatever God has planned for us is always better than something designed by Satan to divorce us from that plan. And we mustn’t be anxious about such concessions.
   
It takes discipline and self-control to overcome the throes of FOMO. Be patient, though, this takes time. Show yourself some grace along the way. Sanctification isn’t an overnight process. Pray to God for help.
    
We live in a world that specializes in flooding our senses with stimuli designed to grab our attention. We must be wary of what we let into our souls. Jesus once said, “Pay attention to what you hear” (Mark 4:24). Most of what we receive from the world is a lie with roots tracing all the way back to the Garden of Eden. But here’s the key to deliverance…does the Bible say that the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was poisonous? Nope. The poison was FOMO and the resultant act of rebellion against God. You need to understand this.
 
You see, the real issue with FOMO is you, not whatever you’re lusting after. Therefore, you must consider FOMO as something you can discipline yourself against. For example, if you see someone enjoying something that you don’t have but desire, is it really their fault you suffer from FOMO? Not at all.
 
FOMO begins and ends with you! While your flesh encourages it, your spirit can squash it. It just takes a little faith and practice.
   I wonder if Jesus ever suffered FOMO when He walked the Earth. I’m being silly, of course. It’s worth giving that some thought, though. I mean, He did enjoy transcendent peace, right?

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins