Have you ever noticed that there are phrases and comments that seem to remind us of Jesus when we hear them? One that does that for me is a brief admonition He employed in some unusual and unforgettable situations, like when the disciples saw Him walking on the surface of the Sea of Galilee. In the midst of their shocked apprehension, Jesus said simply, “Don’t be afraid.” Among other things, the comment also reminds us that fear is an amazing and fascinating human capacity and one that can be compelling to contemplate, especially in a culture that confronts us with it in one form or another every day.
Multitudes in our country work day and night, searching for new ways to utilize this God-given, built-in protective process to manipulate and control the behavior of others. Fear is a major motivational force, and its potential to affect our minds, hearts, and actions is virtually immeasurable. That makes it a compelling subject to explore.
Interpretation Required ~
But obviously, fear is one of those expansive topics that I could probably spend the rest of my writing life exploring. So, I’ll be more practical and restrict our focus to a few aspects that I think are both spiritually and culturally relevant. And to do that, I’ll borrow an
increasingly popular (though somewhat frustrating for me) tendency that seems to pop up everywhere – and that’s the use of acronyms to refer to nearly everything. We see it all the time in pharmaceutical ads on TV. Apparently no one dares mention an actual medical condition anymore. People no longer have diseases, conditions, or disorders. They are only stricken with acronyms. And the depressing effects of those dreaded acronyms can apparently only be alleviated with medications that have names that sound like words invented by over-stimulated 2-year olds, right?
So, to stay culturally relevant as we consider the role of fear in our lives, I chose a familiar acronym toward which we’ll focus our attention. It identifies a particular kind of fear that has grown to have a significant impact on a large part of our population. The acronym is FOMO. And for those antiques like me who still prefer using actual words, FOMO translates to a “Fear of Missing Out.”
A Powerful Force at Work ~
FOMO is credited with driving people to spend money they can’t afford; wear styles of clothing, hairdos, and personal products they secretly hate; and go to concerts, gatherings, and events they really don’t want to attend. FOMO drives people to eat things they find distasteful, engage in all kinds of activities that make them uncomfortable – and approve of lifestyle choices they once regarded as repulsive. FOMO’s power can result in abandoning or disregarding values, principles, and belief systems once considered unshakeably true.
Some obvious questions come to mind now, like, “What are all these people so afraid of 
missing out on?” Answers seem just as obvious. There’s the fear of feeling isolated, rejected, and losing social status. There’s also the fear of being denied access to certain benefits associated with various groups and organizations. So a sad paradox begins to play out. People willingly submit to doing things they wouldn’t normally do and begin to redefine themselves in ways they never would have otherwise. Victims of FOMO gradually become people they never really intended or wanted to be.
An Alternative Approach Needed ~
So what do we do about this powerful adversary? Is there a positive, countercultural response we could adopt that Jesus might approve of? I think there is, and it begins with another question … What if we were to shift gears and utilize FOMO in a way that leads to some incredibly positive outcomes? To get to that answer, we begin by examining the premise that makes FOMO such an effective tool for the manipulators. That premise involves identifying some things endemic to all of us:
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- There’s a kind of person we want to become.
- There are intimate relationships we desire to have.
- There is recognition, acceptance, and a sense of belonging that we crave.
- There are things we want to acquire and goals we want to achieve.
- Our soul longs for security, prosperity, and a sense of meaning for our life.
FOMO’s incredible power is derived from the dread of those things being unreachable. Obviously, Jesus would have nothing to do with the manipulative tactics that FOMO
marketers always use. But marketers didn’t create those desires they use against us. God did that. The problem isn’t in the desire to have those things mentioned above. It’s how to achieve and acquire them that presents the problem.
A Vital Contrast ~
Actually, Jesus appeals to those same basic desires as well. He not only approves of them, but they can even become assets in His plans for us? What makes the manipulators’ use of FOMO so toxic is that they can never deliver the benefits their products promise. Jesus, on the other hand, never fails to deliver even more than we imagine. With Divine authority, He promises lasting fulfillment of all those things we desire most deeply, and with equal authority, affirms that they can never be lost and can never be attained without Him.
Instead of being controlled by the fear of being left out and wasting our lives chasing elusive, unfulfilling illusions, we can shift gears and redirect the power of that fear by using FOMO as a positive motivator. When we look at the consequences of facing our Creator and Judge with no advocate, some degree of fear is inescapable. And if we honestly consider what we’d be missing if we reject what Jesus offers, feeling left out and empty is valid and reasonable. Here are just a few things on that list that we’d lose without Him.
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- Eternal Life (John 3:16 NKJV)
- Forgiveness of Sins (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
- Peace (Romans 5:1 NKJV)
- Enduring Love – Now and Forever (John 15:12 NKJV)
- Defiant Joy (John 15:11 NKJV)
- Faith that Overcomes (1 John 5:4 NKJV)
- A Forever Family (John 17:20–21 NKJV)
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One More Thing ~
And one final thought. The fear that FOMO marketers use never stops. It only morphs into more forms of fear that continue to drive us, and we can never really escape. But even if
some degree of fear is involved in bringing us to Jesus, something amazing happens. We discover that the power of fear to drive us is exchanged for the power of love that draws us.
No doubt, those who choose to follow Jesus often find themselves going places they hadn’t intended to go, behaving in ways they wouldn’t have chosen to go, joining in gatherings they wouldn’t have previously, speaking in ways they never had before, and interacting with people they would have ignored previously. Jesus followers might also find themselves doing different things with their money and developing relationships they never envisioned having. And in the process, they, too, might find themselves being redefined and remade into a person radically different than they thought they’d ever be. The end result . . . an exchange for a life of fulfillment they would never have known otherwise. As for me, FOMO that leads to that kind of meaningful fulfillment isn’t frightening at all.
Please join us next week for Part 2 as we look at how our FOMO acronym begins to take on new meaning and helps us address other ways fear can not only add distress but also derail us from our mission.
“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to tweet and share from the quotes below. Each one links directly back to this article through Twitter . . .
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- A sad paradox begins to play out with FOMO. People willingly submit to doing things they wouldn’t normally do and begin to redefine themselves in ways they never would have otherwise. The victims gradually become people they never really intended or wanted to be. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- Jesus had nothing to do with manipulative tactics FOMO marketers use. But they didn’t create desires used against us. God did that. The problem isn’t in the desire to have those things. It’s how to achieve and acquire them that presents the problem. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- With Divine authority, God promises lasting fulfillment of all those things we desire most deeply, and with equal authority, He affirms that they can never be lost and can never be attained without Him. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- Even if some degree of fear is involved in bringing us to Jesus, something amazing happens. We discover that the power of fear to drive us is exchanged for the power of love that draws us. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
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Check out Ron’s book, “Right Side Up Thinking in an Upside Down World ~ Looking at the World through the Lens of Biblical Truth” 
Gallagher's Pen ~ 
The only FOMO any of us should be worried about is the fear of missing out on Jesus. Oh, how sad and tragic that would be! I love how you picked this apart, Ron, separating holy fear from secular fear. Beautifully inspirational and so timely in this day and age when manipulators would have us follow them and not the only One worth our time and attention. Blessings!
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You are so right as usual, dear friend. I see so many people anxious about all kinds of things that have absolutely no enduring value or actual impact on their lives. They get agitated over something some social media influencer said or did and apparently have neither interest nor concern over anything God has to say. As I mentioned, it’s a sad paradox. But isn’t it wonderful how His love and His active presence dispels so much much fear? But rather than waste our energies grieving over the manipulative power of fear (which leftist politicians and their media cohorts exploit 24/7), we can join hands and hearts and work together to promote fear’s antidote. Thank you for the way you and Danny do that, and may God continue to bless and empower you.
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