Hi Friends, I was planning a whole different post today, but this message is timely for me, and I hope it can be an encouragement to you as well. I will be back to my Splendor and Majesty series post haste! Thanks for being here with me. If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Do you have FOMU? We all know about FOMO, fear of missing out, but how does FOMU impact your work, your ministry, your productivity, and your joy? I am talking about the FEAR OF MESSING UP.
One of my greatest stressors is the feeling that if I do something wrong, everybody will know what a fake or fool I am. I have a stinkin master’s in education. How on earth can I use the word thrown when I mean throne or profit when I mean prophet?! (I could bore you or boar you with the details of how, but not today.) And don’t even get me started on the missing or over use of commas.
As I was contemplating an upcoming event, the FOMU started overtaking my thoughts. Then defeat inched in, disabling my forward momentum. Sometimes that inner critic saves us from embarrassing ourselves, but sometimes is keeps us from being fruitful, fulfilled and successful. If we never step out in faith, with courage, we are not only robbing ourselves of the blessing of a job well done, but we are robbing those around us from benefiting from our wisdom, knowledge, or creativity, or even our mistakes.
Pay careful attention to your own work,
for then you will get the satisfaction
of a job well done,
and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-6
We know David as “A Man After God’s Own Heart.” We also know him as one of the biggest blunderers who ever lived. I am not saying to go ahead and send someone into battle and then steal their wife. But I am trying to communicate that we cannot let the fear of messing up paralyze us, because even as much as we blunder, God’s grace is more. We can blow it big time, but He can make a masterpiece of our mess. Not because of David’s disastrous choices, but because of his contrite and repentant heart, we see how to have a blessed life and beautiful walk with God.
What if David feared Goliath to the point of not going to the battlefield? What if he feared the lion or the bear? What if, when he was confronted with his sin, he refused to be humbled and corrected? What if he did not face his fear while hiding from Saul? He would have never written “Where does my help come from? It comes from the Maker of the heavens and the earth.” (Psalm 121) We wouldn’t have the example that says, “against you only have I sinned.” (Psalm 51) We would not have the comforting words of so many of the Psalms.
I have FOMU. I worry too much about what people will think, how they will perceive me or do they “get me.” I fear messing up. However, I cannot let that stop me from speaking or writing the messages that the Lord puts on my heart. Oh, it would be so much easier to keep my faults all to myself and never risk putting my oops on display. That is just what the Enemy wants… to silence me. I worry about spelling a word wrong or mispronouncing it, when I should be more concerned about serving those who need the Living Water.
Go ahead and edit; check your work; proofread; use the best keywords, phrases, and hashtags; make memorable taglines and headlines. (I pray God edits my thoughts, my words, and my mouth every day!) But please don’t let FOMU keep you from sharing your heart, God’s word, or using the gifts and creativity that He has put in you.
I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety. Psalms 16:7-9
Love this!!! Thanks for sharing ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is really good, Keri! I definitely have FOMU! I think about it (doing whatever) too long and then it’s too late. Or, I just forget about it… Thanks for the encouragement!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so glad it blessed you. You know I am always preaching to myself😜
LikeLike