Leggo of the FOMO
One of my favorite commercials right now is one of the Georgia Lottery commercials. It could be because my very talented friend, Larry, stars in it. Or it could be it captures perfectly one of the fears I have. Let me set the stage: a woman walks into a convenience store. She’s deciding between buying a lottery ticket and a hot dog. When she starts inquiring about the price of the lottery ticket, the scene cuts to an armored truck with stacks and stacks of money being transferred to the lady’s car until… she picks the hot dog. Scene cuts to Larry getting the message that she didn’t buy a ticket so they start putting the money back in the armored car. She walks out of the store where she momentarily pauses, perhaps feeling like she just missed something, but then goes about her way clueless chomping on her hot dog. Crazy lady! Who would choose a hotdog over millions?
But what if you don’t KNOW you’re missing out on the money, or the moment or anything else for that matter? What if you’re just afraid you might?
Recently I had to make a pretty big decision-well bigger than a hot dog. I needed to know if an opportunity was a good idea or a God idea. I wrestled. I woke up in the middle of the night. “What’s my problem?” The diagnosis? FOMO – the FEAR OF MISSING OUT- anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere. For me it feels like analysis paralysis. I can imagine both sides. My husband says I can argue both sides. I can make myself sick hoping and praying not to miss what God has for me because, I. WANT. EVERYTHING. Everything He has for me. And guess what? He wants me to have it.
This past Christmas, my husband Michael and I decided to give the “kids” (Ashleigh, 31- Jason her husband, 31) money to go to one of our favorite new restaurants. Now it’s not my style to give just give the cash. I have to make it a scavenger hunt or a puzzle. So I wrapped up cotton balls for Jason and a small cow figurine for Ashleigh. I told them to open their gifts together and figure it out. What followed was the best non-game of charades I’ve ever witnessed. They guessed every combination except the right one. Finally after laughing hysterically I blurted out, “Cotton Calf!” (If you live near Braselton, check it out!) I couldn’t let them struggle all night. That’d be wrong. I wanted them to “get it”. I wanted them to have the gift we had planned for them.
So why am I worried my Heavenly Father would let me miss something He has planned for me? The gifts? The feast that He has prepared? If we seek Him He will be found! He may choose to lovingly lay out clues to draw us closer to Him or present a mystery that demands a deeper faith. He may whisper a direction or say, “You choose. I’m with you either way.” He is for you. So stay close to Christ. Be attentive to His word. Move in His love. And LEGGO of the FOMO…. And anything else that starts with fear! I John 4:18-There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear is by suspicion, but he who fears is not grown up in love.