WEDNESDAY’S WORD – FOMO – Sadell Bradley 02/22/17 New Life Covenant CIncinnati

I thought that FOMO was only a millennial expression until I saw it in the dictionary.  FOMO stands for Fear Of Missing Out. It is anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, aroused by posts seen on a social media website. Going a bit deeper, Wikipedia says it is a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent. This social angst is characterized by a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing. FOMO is fear of regret – a compulsive concern that one might miss an opportunity for social interaction, a novel experience, profitable investment or another satisfying event. FOMO perpetuates the fear of having made the wrong decision on how to spend time as you imagine how things could be different.   

FOMO is birthed out of comparison and breeds insecurity. We look at

what others are doing and assume that their family, work, church, financial position or experiences are better than ours; which causes anxiety. Insecure comparisons are not new, they’re just ‘on steroids’ because of social media. In 2 Corinthians 10 some of the leaders at Corinth were judging Paul by appearances (vs. 7), comparing other leaders with him then questioning his authority. They said, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and amounts to nothing.” (vs. 10) He assured them, what I say in my letters I am well able to enforce when I’m present. In modern terms, my actual life and authority is the same as what you heard in the press or saw on facebook. We would do well to adopt Paul’s mindset: