Little Messages with Big Impact
The fear of missing out, or FOMO, is not new. It just got a modern name. It is that feeling that you are behind in life, missing an opportunity, or lacking something others seem to have. It is the fear that everyone else is moving forward while you are stuck. Eve experienced this long before social media existed. She had everything a person could dream of, yet she felt she was missing something because the serpent convinced her that there was “more.”
When Joshua took over from Moses, it was no small task. The Israelites were known for testing their leaders, and now Joshua had to lead them into the Promised Land. It is no wonder God told him, “Do not be afraid.” This was not a suggestion; it was a command. God knew the weight of the assignment but also gave Joshua the grace and strategy to fulfill it. Fear may have whispered that he was not enough, but God reminded him that success was certain if he followed His instructions.
Fear may seem harmless, but it can grieve the heart of God. Faith pleases Him, while unbelief frustrates His purpose. Moses had seen the burning bush, witnessed miracles, and received clear instructions, yet he still begged God to send someone else. It was not humility; it was fear. And that fear angered God because it questioned His wisdom in choosing Moses in the first place.
We all have something we wish God would fix. Maybe it’s a weakness, a flaw, or a past mistake that makes you feel unqualified. Moses felt the same way. When God called him, his immediate response was about his speech problem. “Lord, I can’t speak well,” he said. Moses believed his defect disqualified him, but God reminded him that He was fully aware of it. The same God who made Moses’ mouth was not limited by it.
Key Verse: “Then Moses answered and said, ‘But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, “The Lord has not appeared to you.”’ So the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your…
Moses’ question makes sense. “Who should I say sent me?” He knew how people could question his authority, and after his past failure in Egypt, he feared rejection. It was not just a question of information; it was a cry for assurance. In his heart, he was wondering, “Why would anyone listen to me?” But God’s response was simple and powerful: “I AM WHO I AM.” That name settled every question. The God who is self-existent, all-sufficient, and eternal was the One sending him.
The question “Who am I?” reveals more than curiosity; it exposes uncertainty about identity. Moses had lived between two worlds. Born a Hebrew, raised as an Egyptian, and now living as a fugitive, he never truly fit anywhere. His life story was a mix of privilege and pain, and that left him unsure of who he was or what he was capable of. When God called him to lead Israel, his first response was not faith but doubt. “Who am I to go?” He could not see past his past.
Have you ever felt unqualified for something God asked you to do? That’s imposter syndrome at work. It is the fear that you are not enough, not capable, or not worthy of the task before you. Moses understood this feeling well. Once a prince of Egypt, then a fugitive, and now a shepherd, he could not see how God could use someone like him. When God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt, he responded with excuses. “Who am I?” “What if they don’t believe me?” “I am not good with words.” Moses saw his flaws, but God saw his purpose.
Humans are created for connection. From the beginning, God designed us to live in community and not in isolation. Yet, sometimes, the fear of being alone can drive us to make desperate choices. Lot’s daughters felt trapped in a cave, cut off from the world, and convinced that there was no future for them. In their panic, they settled for what was available instead of waiting for what was divine. Fear and desperation blinded them to the truth that God was still in control, even after the chaos of Sodom’s destruction.
Faith leaves a legacy, but so does fear. Abraham was a man of faith, and God trusted him to teach his children to walk in His ways. Isaac inherited that faith, obeyed God, and followed in his father’s footsteps. Yet, hidden within that inheritance of faith was something else, a fear that showed up years later in Isaac’s life. The same fear that once gripped Abraham found expression in his son. Isaac repeated his father’s exact words and actions, even though he was not yet born when Abraham first spoke them.