I sat on the couch, scrolling through my social media feed. News of a relationship status, a pregnancy announcement, and an advertisement for the latest fashion trend flooded my mind. My finger tapped a link that took me to a video of a new song; another tap led to a friend’s profile. Minutes, and eventually hours passed by, but it wasn’t enough for my longing heart. I refreshed the feed and the cycle lured me in again. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) can dominate our actions in many ways. This powerful force is enough to drive us to our phones, yet it often stems from spending time on our phones. We want to keep up with the world, with the news, with our friends’ updates, but there’s always more to see. Technology, specifically social media, increases our awareness of how much we’re actually missing. I’m not here to declare that technology is evil or make a case against spending too much time on social media. Rather, I’ve noticed that in my attempts to curb my “fears of missing out,” I reach for my phone, when I’m actually missing out on something more important. Something infinitely better.
If You Have This, You Have Everything
In the United States and many other countries, we have access to something truly life-changing and life-giving: the Bible. How often do we open it? Is it a treasure we can’t get enough of, or is it collecting dust on a shelf? The Word of God, rich with His goodness, love, and grace, offers us the best kind of life—the one the Lord designed for us. It tells of the gospel, the best news for our dying world: eternal life through Christ. The words of Scripture are “breathed out by God,” (2 Tim. 3:16) and “living and active” (Heb. 4:12). Woah. Are we getting this? The Bible isn’t just any book. More than inspirational words on a page, it’s alive with Truth that has the power to transform; miracles, prophecies, and testimonies of the Lord’s faithfulness flow throughout the pages. Through it we learn about His perfect character. We see His power on display through creation and as He sits on His throne. At the same time, we see His deeply personal love for each one of us, beckoning us to taste and see His goodness. And He’s offering us true life.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4–5)
Jesus, known as the Word of God (John 1), is the giver of life. The Word changes our perspective as we live every day through the lens of biblical Truth and a relationship with Jesus. It changes how we live each moment as we root ourselves in Christ and let our lives be built on Him (Col. 2:7). The key to abundant life is in front of us, yet many of us are missing it. Are you more afraid of missing out on your social life, your friend’s posts, and the latest conversations, than you are of missing out on what God’s Word has for you today?
Making Time for What Matters
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16)
To dwell in something, you need to be there awhile. According to the Merriam Webster definition, “dwell” means “to remain for a time,” or “to live as a resident.” Anytime we open God’s Word is good, but when we dig deep and spend time, or “remain” in the Bible, that’s when we are transformed. Are you dwelling in the Word of God? Is it dwelling in you? Where we spend our time matters. By immersing yourself in the Word of God, you’ll find:
- An anchor for our weary souls (Heb. 6:19)
- A lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105)
- The promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17)
- Fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11)
- Perfect peace (Isa. 26:3)
- Hope for the future (Rom. 15:13)
- The assurance of God’s love (1 John 4:8–10)
- The way to eternal life (John 14:6)
- And so much more
We can read it our entire lives and still learn something new; the Bible is the living Word of God. He invites us to come to Scripture, to hear His voice, and to know Him better every single day. When FOMO comes knocking and your phone pulls at you like a magnet, constantly attracting your attention, you have a choice. Rest in the fact that you don’t have to scroll for just five more minutes that will really turn into twenty. You can miss out on the slew of cat videos on your news feed or your great aunt Ruth’s political opinion thread. Staying connected with others is important and good, but I want to free you up from the expectation that life is found in knowing what your entire friends list is doing. Spending time with Jesus in His Word is more life-giving than anything we’ll find with our noses buried in our phones. What does the Lord have to say to you today? Crack open your Bible and wake up to the Word of life in front of you. God has something for you today—don’t miss it.