I have this struggle wherein I'm constantly looking at the future. It has it's benefits like how I get to set my goals right and take the necessary steps to achieve them. However, often times, I get so focused and riled up on the future I want to have that I forget to live in the present.
When my boyfriend and I had just started working, I thought the next step would be to get married. I set my heart and mind on that, wanting it to happen soon, as soon as possible in fact. To the point that when I didn't see our relationship moving in the pace and direction that I wanted it to, I became impatient, discontent, and unhappy. I wanted to get married right away, that I failed to appreciate the good things we had at that time.
Now that we're living in a time of pandemic, the very things that I took for granted have become the very things that I wish I had right now. I miss our normal everyday routine, him driving me to work and picking me up afterwards. It didn't matter if we were eating pares at the street sides, a home-cooked meal, or a pricey meal from a restaurant. We'd go up to the roof deck and watch the moon, the stars and the city lights. We'd talk about how our day went, we can talk for hours or not talk at all and just sit there, as long as we were together, it was good.
It's our common sickness to always want something more and fail to appreciate the little things. I saw this same pattern in other aspects of my life, like my career.
Ever since I was in college, I knew that what I wanted to do was serve God full time in ministry. But God led me elsewhere. Throughout the two years of working in corporate, my job became one of my biggest insecurities. I kept thinking I can do better and more meaningful things in ministry. I kept looking at my friends filled with joy as they were doing the very thing I couldn't. And it robbed me of mine.
I was so caught up in my dream that I failed to see God's blessings in my career. Many people have lost their jobs during this pandemic. Yet there I was complaining about my well-paying job; which allows me to help those in need. Being a marketer in a beauty company, I get to create and share beautiful things that spark joy to other people. It's crazy, in fact, that we've had several successful launches at a time when makeup consumption is down.
There are many more to mention, but here's the bottom line. I learned the hard way that this is a miserable way to live life. If you can't appreciate the little things that happen everyday, you'll live most days being unhappy. Then when the big things come, you wouldn't see its true value because always wanting for something more would lead you to see big things just as small things.
Most of us are wondering when this pandemic will end. We're all hoping and praying for healing. One day, we'll all be able to go out, not wearing a mask or a face shield, and just enjoying all the little things that we have once taken for granted like going to work, going to school, going to church, hanging out with friends, the city traffic, and many more. We are all looking forward to our lives going back to normal - no longer being imprisoned in our own homes. But as we hope and pray, we can be thankful. We can be joyful.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
God's will for us is to always be joyful and the secret to that is to always be thankful. The truth is there are so many things to be grateful for; even during this time of pandemic. But, you'll only see it when you start looking at God - at what He wants and not at what you want. This season has brought families closer to each other, rest to those who are overworked, spiritual revival to those who are lost, an awakening to what truly matters, a window for new skills and hobbies and etc.
There's nothing wrong with looking forward to the future, to marriage, to dreams, to success, to a pandemic-free world. But as we look to the future, let's not forget to live in the present. And most of all, let us remember that the future we should be looking forward to the most is the day we see Jesus face-t0-face and hear Him say "Well done my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things."
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