Saying we want to enjoy today is great in theory, but it’s difficult when we see the struggles that ‘today’ brings. That’s when our eyes begin looking toward another day. Continually, we must recognize that even the struggles of today are being used by God to sanctify us and purify our faith through the fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12–13). In his sovereignty, God has placed you in your current circumstances for a reason. While it’s possible tomorrow could be better, today is the day that the Lord has made . . . so let us rejoice!
My two-year-old son ran up to me, dripping wet, and said: “Daddy, this is fun!”
Last summer, we spent a week visiting different attractions in the Dallas area. My kids were enjoying the splash pad at Legoland as I watched from a nearby table trying not to melt in the scorching Texas heat. Exhausted from the battles of getting four kids dressed, traveling, and applying mother-approved amounts of sunscreen, I watched them run around wildly and thought: “One day I’m going to miss this.”
One day, I’m going to miss the wild antics of my young children. I’m going to miss my kids thinking daddy is the coolest, or the random things that come out of their mouths. As much as I grumble about the high decibel levels that has become normal at our house, one day I’ll sit in a quiet house and actually miss the noise. One day, I’ll look back and miss these young years.
Ironically, I often find myself wanting to get past these young years. I get frustrated when they are so dependent on me for the most basic functions of life. I can lose patience when my kids won’t stop asking questions when all I want is peace and quiet. I am short-tempered when they fight over a toy (especially one nobody wanted until one kid grabbed it). In these frustrating moments, I find myself wishing they were just a little older and more mature—then life would be perfect.
But, as many of you know, that perfect day never comes. With each phase of life, new challenges and issues arise. That ‘perfect’ time seems just over the horizon. But when we get there, it eludes us. As the proverbial donkey continues to chase the dangling carrot, so we continue to long for that which is out of our reach. There’s nothing wrong with looking forward to what tomorrow might bring; but we must be careful that while we are looking forward to tomorrow, we don’t miss out on today.
For you, it may not be the young years of your children, but perhaps you tend to wish away your high school, college, or single years. Maybe you’re looking forward to marriage or having children. Or, perhaps, you long for a new job or retirement. There are many seasons of life where this might be a temptation. What season of life are you tempted to wish away?