It struck me today that my life is in a constant state of
future-focus. I admit it – I'm the kind of person who's always thinking about
the next task or upcoming project. That fact alone was one of the reasons that
I started this blog...to help me slow down, reflect, and appreciate what is
happening right now. And it worked...ish, but I'm giving myself a little slack
because it's awfully hard to be now-focused when you're planning a wedding.
Even still, I feel like I've done better about being anxious about the future.
However... I've been thinking about it today – about all the
things in my life that are "just until..." and truthfully, it was
getting me a bit down:
- our loud,
frustrating apartment: cheap rent so we can pay off debt and build our savings early on
- our jobs: not long-term careers, just something for now (pending Strider figuring out his path and my SAHM hopes)
- still living in my hometown: temporary, just
to be close to my family and to save money
Though we're as happy as two peas (in a very old, creaky pod with an upstairs neighbor that I swear has
taken a monastic vow to wear only wooden clogs), those three are our
biggest pressure points. It's hard not to be frustrated by the present when you
have such big, hopeful dreams of the future. Then it struck me...
...as Christians,
we are called to be a bit disappointed by the present.
"Since, then, you have been raised with
Christ, set
your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at
the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:1-2
the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:1-2
"For I know the plans I
have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Talk about a future worth focusing on! Not
to say that we shouldn't be aware of our present time here on earth – that
would keep us from fulfilling our purpose – but it does give us hope beyond the
day-to-day frustrations of our "just untils". God created us to make
plans and to dream of the future – the future He has planned for us. An
incredible future so much bigger than we can imagine.
So, I decided that I'm not going to get
myself down for budgeting and excitedly planning for the next season, instead
I'll trust God that there will be different
seasons to our life and beyond that, another future that I can hardly
comprehend. Plus, if I'm an A-type organizer that rejoices in thinking of and
planning for the future, He's the one who created me that way after all!
I feel your pain! Starting out as newly-weds can be stressful, but you have each other and that's what really counts. Enjoy this stage, but know the creaky apartment will someday be a distant memory.
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