The Cultural Message: The worst thing that can happen to you is missing out on something.
The world seems to be moving faster and faster. The dawning of the internet age seems to have shifted us into fast forward. Looking back just one generation points to a simpler time where life was lived at a slower pace. With the internet, we have access to information at our fingertips. With the invention of social media, we see what our friends are up to all the time. This creates a go, go, go atmosphere. There always seems to be something going on and there are always opportunities that we are going to have to choose to say yes or no to.
What the Bible Says:
This phenomenon is so prominent that they even coined an acronym F.O.MO. (the fear of missing out). F.O.M.O. is used as a word to easily be able to communicate this feeling. We are a culture that is fearful of many things and thanks to social pressures, we can add this one to the list as well.
1.) Our lives are not supposed to be lived at a frenetic pace.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7
God instructs His people over and over again to be still. If we are still before the Lord, we are not anxious, we are at peace in His presence.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:2-3
God gave us an example of what He wants of us by resting after He created the world in six days. God doesn’t need to rest, He could have created the world without resting on the seventh day but He let that be an example to us.
2.) If we are in Christ, we aren’t missing out on anything.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5-8
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and the last; besides me there is no god." Isaiah 44:6
God is sufficient to provide everything that we need. In Him we are truly whole. There is no special occasion or party that we could attend that will fill us like God can.
So What?
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4
We need to keep first things first in our lives by remaining in God. There are so many opportunities that come calling. Kid’s activities are what keeps our family busy at this stage of life. There are so many wonderful things for our kids to take part in but we can’t do them all. When we try to be involved in too many things, we don’t remain in God. I am here to glorify God above all else so I need to make sure that my schedule isn’t taking over everything so that I can do that.
The next time you feel forgotten and not included, remember that you have everything you need in God. There is no event or invitation that will fulfill you the way that God can. We need to be willing to submit our busy schedules to Him to decide what He wants us to take part in. When we do, we can soak in His peace knowing that we are right where we are supposed to be.