Instant Messaging, E-mail, text messages, blackberries, iPhones—all part of our 24-hour instant gratification, fast-paced society. I can’t wait for summer, I cannot wait for this semester to be over, I can’t wait to finally go on vacation. When did life become all about moving fast and always looking to take the next step? We are always looking for the next best thing. We need to have internet at our fingertips so we get the latest news, gossip, sports scores, or stock quotes. We need to have 1000 channels and DVR so we never miss American Idol or The Office in HD. But what are we missing out on by allowing these things to become a top priority?
Why can’t we slow things down? Have you ever lost your cell-phone or been without internet for a couple hours or Heaven-forbid an entire day? Why is it that we lose our minds if we get “cut-off” from our info-in-an-instant lifestyle? If we truly took time away and “shut up and listened” maybe we could see a world that is better than what we think of it.
For instance, how many times have we said or heard someone say, “I can’t wait for ____________.” Why can’t we wait? What is so horrible about the present that we NEED to move on? If we are constantly focusing on what needs to come next, we lose sight of the present and we lose the beauty of the moment. In my own life, I think about where I believe God is calling me to. When I think too much about that, I am filled with joy. Sounds great right? Well yes it is, but God’s calling is not something that we will one day accomplish, rather it is a daily process (shout out to Jon Hayes and the UNSTOPPABLE retreatants).
God calls us to serve Him and love Him DAILY. If I am constantly thinking, “I can’t wait to get engaged,” then I get engaged and I think, “I cannot wait until I am married,” then I get married and I think, “I cannot wait to have my first child,” then I have my first child and I think, “I cannot wait to have another,” then I have another child and I think, “I cannot wait until they grow up and I can teach them about life,” then they grow up and I teach them about life and I think, “I can’t wait for retirement,” then I retire and I think, “What’s next? What can’t I wait for? Death?”
If we are never happy with the here and now, we will never be truly happy. When we think about our current situation, we need to look at how we got there. What led us there? Where is it leading us? What are we learning from it? Is it fruitful and helping me grow in my relationship with God? The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that the here and now is the only thing we have control over. The here and now is the only thing we can experience. The past is done with, the future is in God’s hands—what matters is every single second of the present. Because, guess what? What we do in the here and now lays the foundation for the future. If we are constantly thinking of how much life stinks or how it could be better, we are laying the foundation for a future of more of the same.
Also, what happens if I get engaged, get married, but then am unable to have children? Will I constantly be waiting for the day where I will be happy when God blesses me with a child? Of course I will hope for such a blessing, but that does not mean that I discard the present and the blessings I am being handed within it. So whatever your current situation may be—struggling through school, waiting to get engaged, thinking about a career change, trying to have a child, or discerning your vocation, remember that the here and now is a gift and that is why it is called the present. So slow it down a bit, take it all in and rejoice. What is God calling you to do for Him TODAY?
No comments:
Post a Comment