Thirteen years ago, as we packed our minivan from top to bottom to move literally across the country, I felt as if I was losing myself. I thought my dreams, which God had slowly birthed within me as I served in a close-knit Southern California church, would languish then die.
Ten years later, when one transition after another crippled an organization I wrote for, my journey once again felt unsteady. Fearful to lose something that brought such fulfillment, I began striving and stressing and fighting to control every area of my career. As a result, every opportunity left me with more confusion than clarity, more exhaustion than hope or joy.
It felt as if I was standing at a main trail head with a thousand paths extending before me trying to discern which one would lead to my desired destination. And in my inability to make a decision, to rest in my Father’s loving and faithful arms, I chose them all, or at least, as many as I could, inevitably forfeiting my joy, peace, and effectiveness.
Ironically, my fear of missing out—of that perfect opportunity or experience or role—caused me to miss out on those things that truly mattered. Eventually, everything became stressful and burdensome, like I was constantly kicking against high tide.
Defeated and discouraged, I told God I was tired of the work, of the stress, and the pressure. I told Him I wanted to quit.
He agreed, though He didn’t want me to quit writing and serving. He wanted me to quit striving. He wanted me to rest in Him. To trust that He had a plan and was big enough and strong enough and loving enough to bring that plan to pass.
He’s strong enough to perfect all that concerns me, all that concerns my loved ones, and all that concerns the women I serve.
Like Psalm 139:16 promises, “all the days ordained for me were written in [His} book before one of them came to be” 
(NIV).
If I believe this to be true, for me and those I love, I have no reason to fear or to strive. I simply need to listen, surrender, and obey.
Whenever I begin to feel exhausted and overwhelmed, whenever I’m tempted to chase after that next shiny or exciting thing, I have to ask myself why. Because I’ve self-analyzed enough to know there’s almost always something deeper going on—some hole I’m hoping to fill, wound I’m trying to numb, or fear I’m trying to avoid.
True peace comes when I humbly pray, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).
Search me: Penetrate to my depths, to those deepest, most hidden parts of me. Expose my self-deception and faulty perception and flood every shadowed crevice within my heart with Your truth-bearing, lie-expelling light.
Know my anxious thoughts: Reveal to me what I’m really thinking and those nagging lies that fuel distrust. Lies such as: God doesn’t care, doesn’t hear, or lacks the desire and power to lead me and those I love.
Lead me in the way everlasting: Purge everything false, everything hurtful or idolatrous, so that Your faith-bolstering truth may reign. Lead me in Your way, for only You and the things of You are eternal, and only You know how to feed and fill my heart.
Let’s talk about this. How often does fear of missing out—the fear that you or someone you love will miss out on something—drive your behavior?
For example, fear that:
- turning down that extra project will cost you that promotion
- not signing your child up for that traveling sports team will cost them popularity and social connections
- declining that invitation will place you on the outskirts of your peer group
- setting boundaries in that relationship will prevent you from getting married or having a family
- should you prioritize financial wisdom over that vacation, the opportunity may never come again
But perhaps an even better question: Are you living like a called, empowered, and loved child of the sovereign God or like an orphan?
What is one truth you can meditate on this week to live more consistently as God’s chosen and deeply loved child and move deeper into freedom?
Additional resources:
Four Ways to Fight Fear of Missing Out by Jon Bloom
Have No Fear of Missing Out by
Countering Fear of Missing Out by Jennifer Slattery
Visit Jennifer’s Faith Over Fear page HERE for additional resources.
Let’s talk about this! Do you struggle with a fear of missing out, and if so how? How does remembering Christ is control and has a plan for you help you move from fear to faith.
Connect with Jennifer Slattery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, join her private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group, 
listen to the first two episodes of her Faith Over Fear podcast HERE and find her free Bible reading plan HERE.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™