The Freedom of Missing Out

The neon numbers on my nightstand clock insisted it was midnight, yet it may as well have been midday as far as my active mind was concerned.

Weariness swept my spirit, as the enemy nagged notions of angst. Lord, how can I continue to show up when I feel burned out?  I begged softly into the night.

Turns out, trying to fill every moment of opportunity can leave you feeling empty of rest.

Dear friend, can you relate to being in that place of striving to do it all, lest you miss out on something meaningful, while quietly feeling weary and worn?

We may often hear the acronym FOMO—the “fear of missing out.”  But what a lullaby it would sing to our spirits, if instead we embraced a different kind of FOMO—the “freedom of missing out.”

Jesus shares this freeing mindset with His disciples in Mark 6:31: “Because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”’ (NIV)

If anyone knew the value of showing up for those around Him, it was Jesus—the Son of God, whose earthly mission was to save the world. Yet, Jesus didn’t fear that rest would cause Him to miss out; rather, He understood that rest would preserve His mission.

Notice those three little words of Jesus’ tucked into this verse: ”Come with Me.” There was no shortage of opportunity for Jesus and His disciples to engage with the people around them, yet Jesus didn’t engage nonstop. He invited His disciples into quiet rest with Him, preserving their capacity to fulfill their mission.

On that weary night of mine, the Lord reminded me that—freedom abounds in the calm of His company. Just as Jesus invited His disciples to escape the bustle and embrace His rest, He offers this freedom to us, His cherished daughters.

May we quiet our expectations and honor our limitations, prayerfully opting out of opportunities that exhaust our capacity to fulfill God’s mission in our lives. And, in the calm of our time with Jesus, may we seek His wisdom for what is ours to do right now, and what is not.

Fear not, friend! We can trust the Keeper of our days; God won’t let us miss His best for us because we choose to rest with Him.

Oh, that we’d sense His invitation to the freedom of missing out. For when we trade the rush of activity for the hush of His presence, our spirits are free to rest in the peace of His plans.

Dear friend, if you’re in a season of weariness,  it’s okay to trade the fear of missing out for the freedom of missing out. May you still your soul today with Jesus, your refuge of rest from a bustling world. ♥

We’d love for you to join the conversation in the comments at Proverbs 31 Ministries today, friend! ♥