Wishing away the days
When my eldest son was a baby I couldn't wait to see what he would be like at age one, when he reached one I was excited about the toddler years, once they arrived I wondered about age four and five. All this time wanting him to grow older I was missing the "now" and wishing for the future. With my second son, I was in no hurry for him to reach one, two or three. I was going to enjoy each precious moment as they came.
I know so many people who wish away the moment and say things like:
"I can't wait until I retire"
"I can't wait until my next holiday"
"I can't wait until my children leave home"
"I can't wait until I have won the lotto"
Often the retirement is four or five year away, the next holiday is in six months, children might not being leaving for many years and lotto may never be won. It would appear that man is not content with the now and believes that the future is going to be brighter. That retirement is going to bring relaxation, the ability to play golf everyday, coffee with girlfriends, more trips away. We do not know the future - in fact by the time retirement arrives one may be suffering poor health or have a partner in need of care. With dementia on the rise, who is to say how long one will "enjoy" retirement.
This may sound very gloomy, but if we do "wish away the days" thinking that our future is going to be better we may be surprised or very disappointed. Only God knows what lies ahead for . . . God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things (1 John 3:20) and we need to rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7). The Lord does not share our future with us, we could not cope with that sort of burden - He carries it for us and tells us to live for the day and He will worry about tomorrow. . . wait patiently. . . today may bring far more joy and pleasure than we expected, far more than that holiday we are so excited about in six months time.
What we may have planned for the future, that retirement or holiday may not be Gods plans and He will change it. He planned our lives long before we were born. His plans are always far better than ours even if we don't always understand (or agree) why He does things the way He does. His plans can include suffering and sadness, joy and laughter and no matter how rough the future is, He . . . will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Heb 13:5).
Plan for the future but remember to include God and accept when he decides to make changes! Remember He is in charge and not you or me!!
~oOo~
This is so true! When I was reading this post, it struck me just how silly and futile it is that people constantly think the future will be brighter than today... Obviously people don't learn too well... Or maybe it's just that the human spirit thrives on hope??
ReplyDeleteThere is another verse regarding the future and making plans that I often remember - "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:13-15).
You are right, we need to make the most of NOW, we need to be content with NOW.
Amen...I know where we are right now isn't where I expected to be in life, but it where God has us...and I enjoy watching each day of my five year old's life because when his brother married, and I was pregnant, I realized how fast time flies.
ReplyDeleteGreat post...good word, and a wonderful truth to start the week with.
Jo,
ReplyDeleteYes, how often I think we all (me included) "wish away" the days - thinking that "the future" will be righter. This post reminds me of a scripture in James that states that we should not be bragging about the future because we don't know what it will bring. Such a difficult lesson to learn . . .
-Lady Rose
I think on this often, Jo. Such discipline and leaning hard on Him is required to be so intentional about enjoying the NOW while still being prudent about the future. Wise words.
ReplyDeleteI've certainly been guilty of wishing away my days until this or that for many years, though I must say that I now am very comfortable in my rut. Life is, as the apostle Paul said, learning to be content. And I thank God that we can be content in Him, knowing that he will provide.
ReplyDeleteGood post, and so very true!
ReplyDelete