By Faith4 Comments on Queen Esther and Biblical FOMO

FOMO. The “Fear Of Missing Out.” Anguish over missing out on the fun others are experiencing can get a bad rap. True, if we are patterning our lives only on keeping up with what we think others are doing, purchasing, or experiencing, we can miss out on what truly matters. Striving for party invites, the latest fashions, or the newest tech toys may prevent us from achieving goals of lasting value.

However, in the narrative of Queen Esther’s life, Mordecai’s words to his beloved royal cousin warn against missing out on something extraordinary: the opportunity to use Esther’s position to fulfill God’s plan for her people. When Mordecai instructs Esther to approach King Xerxes to plea for the lives of the Jews, she trembles with fear. Esther knows that addressing the king without an invitation could result in her death. Mordecai knows this as well, and yet, he urges her to do just that. “If you remain silent…relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Mordecai doesn’t indicate that by refusing to approach King Xerxes, Esther will be foiling God’s plan. Instead, he urges her not to miss out on the blessing of participating in God’s plan. In response, we see Esther steel her resolve to meet with the king when she states, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16). Esther’s fear of missing the opportunity to allow God to use her as an instrument of salvation for her people far outweighs her fear of the consequences of approaching the king.

FOMO can be damaging when we identify it with browsing social media and coveting the shiny, polished, perfectly curated lives we catch glimpses of there. But the fear of missing out can be a positive motivator when our goal is to courageously step forward and share our gifts for God’s glory.

Dear God, thank you for your many blessings. Help us not to fear missing out on the fleeting things of this world, but to fear missing out on the joy of participating in Your plan for our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

fearFOMOQueen Esther

4 Replies to “Queen Esther and Biblical FOMO”

  1. Definitely a good motivator! I don’t want to miss out on the role God has for me either 🙂

  2. The insight that if Esther didn’t approach King Xerxes, she wouldn’t be foiling God’s plan, but she’d be missing out on an opportunity resonated with me. Thank you for the reminder that God will use us for his glory and our reward if we listen to his calling and faithfully obey. If we don’t listen, God won’t strike us down or turn his back on us or mess up his plans. He’s more powerful and merciful than that. We’d simply be missing out.

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