FOMO, the Fear Of Missing Out, causes us to indulge our obsession to check our latest email or explore what’s new on Facebook or any other social media platform. Constantly keeping up with the latest bit of news and gossip whether it’s from our friends or MSN can be exhausting, and our FOMO, can make us slaves to our devices.
As combative as our society has become lately, we can easily find that our FOMO can cause us to foment (provoke, agitate, incite). In our frustration we post things we would not say if we had to look our brothers and sisters in the eyes. To break away from the pattern of checking the news or social media, getting angry and fomenting about what others are saying and feeding the pervasive negativity online, we can instead pray. As we do, we can find that our hearts are calmed and our moods are altered toward a more positive end. Here is some truth to support that recommendation.
1. Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing,” KJV. Pray continually—all day long. Don’t hang up the receiver. Don’t shut down your divine computer.
You can turn off your laptop. Get off your phone or your pad to hear from God—not the culture. A Catholic bishop in the 1600’s said, “We need to give Him our whole soul 1000 times a day.”
David Brainerd, who influenced the missionary revival of the 1900’s said that on those days that he spent constant time in prayer, “His heart was swallowed up in God most of the day.” As a nation as a church, could we use being saturated in the presence and the will of the living God? He can make all the difference in our lives and in this world. As Christians, we have this opportunity available to us. Let go of the world, step away from the virtual and get ahold of the real as you soak up the presence of your loving heavenly Father. It will make you...and the world a better place.
2. Pray in spite of doubt. And the more you pray, the more you will see God’s faithfulness dispelling your doubt. Hebrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” This hope is that God is good and He is working for our good, whether it seems like that or not in the moment.
Hebrews 11:6, “It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him,” (The Message.)
Trust is a tough thing. When I met my husband, I didn’t trust anyone because there had been too much pain in my life at the hands of the people who were supposed to love me. I almost sabotaged our relationship several times. But as I got to know Bruce, I began to see how trustworthy he was. The more I got to know him, the more I was able to trust him.
The more time we spend with God, the more we get to know His nature and the more we will see His goodness and grow to trust Him. We won’t find that time living online.
3. Pray like your life depends on it...because it does. Prayer moves the hand that moves the world. Prayer not only makes a difference to God, but it makes us different because in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we can still remain at peace. Charles Trumbull, a turn of the century Christian author wrote, “Prayer is releasing the energies of God. For prayer is asking God to do what we cannot do.” If our nation, if this world is to be healed, we need to call on the Lord to do what we cannot.
So the next time your FOMO causes you to foment, spend some time in prayer and see how you feel then.