A New Kind of FOMO

A different kind of FOMO

FOMO: Fear of Missing Out, defined by Merriam Webster as the “fear of not being included in something,” is a thing.

Ever since my daughter, counseling student Mary Elizabeth Blake, shared with us the dangers of social media, I’ve been paying more attention to its effects on me. According to psychologists, social media can cause crippling social and psychological problems, including a sense of isolation and loneliness, negative self-image, and jealousy, among many others. Social media also gives rise to FOMO, because people observe others having a great time and believe that they are missing out.

In continuing this month’s theme of freedom, I thought about a new and different kind of FOMO available to us as Christians: the Freedom of Missing Out. This kind of FOMO, which roots itself in our identity in Christ, gives many benefits without all the negative side effects.

With the new FOMO, Freedom of Missing Out, we get to miss out on some of the anxiety caused by traditional FOMO…

Fear of Missing Out stirs up some of the worst toxins in our hearts, the kinds of things Scripture warns us are dangerous to our souls:

Comparison:

What happens in your heart when you see a friend’s Instagram post of her gorgeous self with her gorgeous boyfriend/husband/children in some gorgeous, exotic place? According to psychologists, what happens to many people is they compare themselves negatively to that person and feel less valuable.

What if, instead, we were to “set our minds on the things above” (Col. 3:23) and revisit Genesis 1, that tells us – yes, this means YOU –

You are created in the image of God. You are blessed by God. The Creator of the Universe has given you a task to do – “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!” (Gen. 1:26-28, The MSG).

Envy

The other thing that happens when we see our friend’s social media post showing off the shiny new car, new shoes, new jewelry, they just acquired, is we start to feel that devilish-est of emotions – envy.

According to 1 Corinthians 13:4, love …does not envy, so when we feel envy, we are murdering love. Envy eats contentment for lunch and tosses the remains in the trash. Because I am so vulnerable to the attack of envy, I am now trying to pay attention to how I respond to others’ good fortune and to be sure to count my own blessings before I start wishing I had others’.

Things we will NOT miss out on with the new FOMO:

On the other hand, the new kind of FOMO, the Freedom of Missing Out means that we will not miss out on things that are essential to a healthy soul:

We will not miss out on …God:

It occurred to me that we should actually have a healthy fearof missing out on God. Just yesterday I read this verse:

Be still in the presence of the Lord, And wait patiently for him to act. Ps. 37:7

When we enjoy the freedom of missing out on the many allurements social media holds out to us, we discover how our souls prosper and flourish in the presence of the Lord. Before his face, we bask in his delight, his grace, his forgiveness, his plans and purposes for us.

We will not miss out on…

True Community:

Don’t get me wrong – I love my “Facebook community,” but the images and words are no substitute for sitting across the table from a good friend or gathering with a group of friends and strangers alike to celebrate a wedding. Because God made us with bodies, because Christ appeared in the flesh, we must not forsake the joy of being together, face to face.

Dear friends, what would this world become if we lived into this new kind of FOMO, this Freedom of Missing Out and Fear of Missing Out on God and one another??

I just wonder…would psychologists start writing articles about this strange phenomenon of people enjoying new freedom because they have   dared to forfeit opportunities in the world in order to gain their souls? Mark 8:36

A Prayer for the Freedom of Missing Out

Lord, you know how our hearts, how we are so easily tempted to compare ourselves with others, forgetting how expertly you have crafted us. You know our needy, greedy proclivities towards envy, towards wanting things others have while forgetting the many benefits you have bestowed. Help, we cry, help. Help us to satisfy our hearts in you and enjoy the Freedom of Missing Out on cheap substitutes. In Jesus’ more-than-enough name, Amen.