[233 words]
Oxford English Dictionary defines “Fear of Missing Out” as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website.”
This sounds new and modern but it isn’t really new at all. Satan has been using this tactic since the beginning. In the Garden of Eden, Satan convinced Adam and Eve that they were missing out. He made them believe that God was keeping something special and amazing from them. Genesis 3:6 may as well begin by saying, “So when the woman saw that she was missing out…” And then the verse concludes with this idea: “And the man didn’t want to miss out either, so he took a bite as well.”
Their problems (which are our problems as well): Lack of Contentment (1 Tim. 6:6, 8; Heb. 13:5); Lack of Self-Control (1 Peter 4:7); Lack of Focus on Heavenly Things (Col. 3:1-9).
The fear of missing out leads to actual missing out. They thought they were missing out on a different and better life. They ended up missing out on life in the presence of God in the Garden.
What do we fear? Do we fear we are missing something the world has to offer? Do we fear missing out on the abundant life that Christ has to offer (Heb. 4:1; John 10:10)?
Bart Warren
Glasgow, KY
BulletindDigest.com