We’ve all experienced a case of the “If Only’s” at one time or another in life. Here’s what I mean by that… Perhaps you’ve said something like this before to yourself:
“If only this were to happen in my life…”
“If only I were to get that job…”
“If only I made that much money…”
“If only we could pay off our house…”
“If only they would do this…”
“…THEN I’d be happy!”
Sometimes people might call this the “Grass Is Always Greener” syndrome. We assume that the grass is always greener on the other side. We are tempted to think that there will be an undoubtedly better life for us when some circumstance changes. Now of course, things like financial stability, healthy relationships, and achieving your goals can be quite enjoyable. But the mistake comes when we fall into the trap of believing we can find true happiness apart from God. Instead, we need to be relying on God for our fulfillment.
I bring this issue up because this is one of the reasons Christians might struggle with waiting. We want results right now, instead of developing Godly character or a successful future over time. As we saw on Sunday in Genesis 8, Noah persisted through waiting on the ark until the whole ordeal was over. That is certainly a virtuous example for us to follow!
If you think that the grass is always greener on the other side, or that “if only I could have this…” you will miss out on what God is doing right now. In John 10:10, Jesus promised us abundant life. Notice that Jesus didn’t say “life at sometime in the future.” Jesus promises us a fulfilling life right now. He can change and guide us, regardless of our situation. Even in the midst of waiting, we can always depend on Jesus to give us strength, patience, and endurance.
Concord United Methodist Church 