There’s always a “party” going on ~~ everywhere ~~ just look around you ~~ all you need is to join in and become part of it ~~ in fact, you worry that you’ll miss out on something grand and spectacular if you don’t chime in. You “know” that everyone else is in (that is, everyone who’s “someone”) ~~ and the last thing you want to be is out.
F.O.M.O. = fear of missing out.
We are tethered to our electronic devices, and sometimes multiple ones (cell phone, tablets, MP3, etc.) all at the same time, for fear that we’ll be left out of whatever is currently the “rage” or the “happening.” I believe the correct word is “trending.” (I had to learn this, you know!)
What drives us to this frenetic calling? This insane malady that we have imposed onto our subconscisouness? I mean seriously, Girlfriend, as if we need a reason to be more busy from an external standpoint ~~ do we really have that much spare time available that we are lacking activities with which to fill?
I’m not discounting the value of connecting. Otherwise I would not advocate connection of community here. But what I’m drawing attention to is the fear of missing out on things that may not truly require our “immediate attention.”
There was a time in my life that I felt this fear of missing out. Only I didn’t know that this was my thought process at the time. I thought everyone else was either doing something really cool with their best buddies or everyone else was having a really awesome time with everyone else ~~ minus me, in all circumstances.
So I usually put a lot of effort into trying to be in the know (current trends, politics, fashion styles, etc.) ~~ and this resulted in disaster on my part. God simply did not wire me to be a trendsetter ~~ in anything ~~ I could not even remember what was in for any length of time.
Fail.
This crazy mentality didn’t last very long for me. God in His Infinite Mercy allowed me to “exit stage left” and spend some time alone (with Him) understanding my foolishness.
Fear of missing out was birthed out of the need to be accepted, wanted, included, desired, and invited. Any of my Girlfriends reading this understand my message, holler back at me!
I had felt so left out as a child ~~ detached ~~ that I carried those feelings of being uninvited and abandoned with me as I grew up and misinterpreted much of the world around me. More so, I misunderstood the love of God available to me.
Psalm 36:7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.
The void I was trying to fill ~~ the emptiness in my heart and soul ~~ is the sacred place where only God can fill.
We can attempt to reach and grab for anything and everything that appeals to the senses of our eyes, but there is nothing that will satisfy like the love of Jesus.
Being “in the know,” being attached to “people everyone knows,” it all pales by comparison to The One Who knows all and died for all.
Knowing God is not a trend to fade away into the recordings of history.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”
Psalm 69:5 O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you.
1 Corinthians 7:31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.
I have come to the realization ~~ and not of my own understanding ~~ The Holy Spirit opened my eyes to really see that what I truly was missing out was experiencing the goodness of knowing God intimately ~~ beyond the blessing of my salvation.
Yes, F.O.M.O. can strike and inflict even the Believing woman of God.
I find that I have to take refuge in the wings of The Almighty ~~ daily ~~ to remind myself to avoid the trap of F.O.M.O. Dwelling in a fellowshipping community of Girlfriends and Sisters-in-Christ truly helps to anchor the soul of one prone to F.O.M.O. Because while we are still on this side of Glory, Girlfriend, we are imperfect and have issues that we must daily release to God.
Rejoice in the fact you have been called to belong to the Family of God. Get excited about being set apart for His Perfect Will. Celebrate and party hard because YOU and I have been redeemed and reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:19-22 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
If this is your “current situation” (see, I’m still learning) praise God!
But if it is not, allow me to pray with you right here and now ~~ let me invite you to the biggest “get together” in all of Creation.
“God, I’m tired and worn out from chasing the fads and trends of this world; they leave me so empty and still longing for satisfaction. I repent of my past sins to be a people-pleaser and action-seeker; Your Ways are where I know I will find true fulfillment and joy. I’m done with trying to live my life through the world’s status quo. I’m here to declare that I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son and died for me and has called me to Your Purpose. I accept Your Invitation to live freely as Your Child fully reconciled and sanctified. I believe that as part of Your Family I no longer miss out on anything of real value. I thank You for loving me so much that You have opened my eyes to see the Truth and have now calmed my fears. Because now I realize that what was really missing in my life was YOU. I am ready to grow from this moment forward, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Now go and grow, Sweet Girlfriend of mine ~~
I love you to Heaven and Back!
LindaRJohnson
T2T Visionary
Titus Two 