FOMO noun
fear of missing out: fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing.

Do you ever feel FOMO? You know, fear of missing out. Internet sources vary on the word's inception, but it is somewhere between 2000 and 2004. Whatever the date, I know I've been battling it for at least that long. It's hard not to. The games industry is an incredible industry to be a part of. There are fun events in interesting locations throughout the year.

Mentally, I realize that attending many of these events is a luxury rather than a business necessity—especially in our post-COVID world. Connecting, collaborating, and conducting business online is easier than ever, and in-person meetings are no longer a requirement. Also, there are so many events now that you'd go bankrupt if you tried to attend all of them. No joke. Attending events is expensive! When you add up the ticket cost, travel expenses, food, lodging, and lost time, it's thousands of dollars a pop. Regardless, the feelings of missing out are still real.

What is the root of this fear?

When I dig into the soil of my heart and ask: what am I afraid of missing out on? The answer is not the event; it's the connections. I don't want to miss out on connecting with people. I've noticed that I feel FOMO most acutely when I know my friends attend an event without me. In this season of life, I don't get to see best friends very often. To have the opportunity to spend time together is something I don't want to miss.

Having fun with my friends and maintaining those relationships is a key part of the equation; however, I know it is not the complete answer. So, I keep digging and eventually pinpoint the heart of my fear: I fear I will miss out on a new connection that may advance my career. Oh. That's not nearly as endearing an answer as missing my friends; it's much more self-serving and perhaps even selfish. But it's the whole truth. What am I hoping for from this nameless, faceless person, though? Well, it could be an interview, access to funding, a future publishing deal, or a friendship that leads to collaboration—it could be any number of things, and that is the scary part: I don't know!

Sometimes, fear will choose to attack you like a dagger blade with a pointed thought, such as losing a job or a loved one. But more often, fear tries to approach me like a dark, amorphous cloud casting a shadow of the unknown. It hangs over my head until I shine a spotlight on it and start interrogating it on specifics. When you get into the specifics, you realize the fear tries to appear much bigger than it is. If there is any substance to the fear, it is usually small enough that you can pick it up and carry it to the Lord.

You're not going to miss out.

Looking at the year ahead, I see a handful of events I would like to attend. A couple of those events have been on my list for years now. Nevertheless, as I review them with my wife and the Lord, most don't appear to be in the cards for this year—and that's okay. The longer I walk with the Lord, the easier it is to surrender my hopes and desires to Him.

The reason it gets easier and easier to hand things over to the Lord is that He has demonstrated His goodness to me over and over again. He is so good! Unbelievably good, honestly. When I think about all the good things in my life, they are from Him. God has unexpectedly brought me jobs, opportunities, friendships, a home, and even my wife. True story. She wandered in through the open door of my dorm room while I was on my computer. He brought them all into my life; I can't take an ounce of credit for any of them, so I can confidently say that I haven't missed out on a single blessing God had for me, nor will you.

Just look at the Israelites. God arranged a special blessing for them: the promised land. When they went to claim their new home, they got scared and blew it. But God had it on reserve for them, and they eventually received it. The promised land was like a gift with their name on the tag, and God has gifts with your name on it. You don't have to worry or fret that you won't receive them. You will! If God has arranged for you to pick it up in a specific location, He'll get you there. Other times, He'll drop it at your door. Don't worry. He knows your address and will ensure your blessing arrives safely. He has a better delivery network than UPS, FedEx, and Amazon combined.

As believers, FOMO doesn't have to be a word in our vocabulary, so don't listen to the enemy when he starts trying to use it. In the Old Testament, God delivered a message to His people through the prophet Isaiah, "Fear not, for I am with you"; it's the same message He has for us.