I remember when credit cards were only for executive expense accounts. Certainly our family would never have entered a restaurant without money in hand. Back in the day, my granddaddy paid cash for his new house. Fresh vegetables came from the cellar rather than the store; they were in the cellar because you grew them, harvested them, canned them, and put them there.
Many days, I caddied eighteen holes of golf for my dad to earn a dollar and a coke knowing two things: the coke I earned tasted better than the ones given to me, and that dollar would be added to my savings rather than spent on something frivolous. My brother and I raked the yard for nothing more than the pride of having a good place to play. First we put in the effort, then we enjoyed the reward. There was a level of delight that followed the struggle.
Dwelling on “the good old days” isn’t my intention, but I think I am recognizing a cultural shift. Lately when I talk with folks, I feel we may be slanted with desires for immediate satisfaction. Our culture pushes us toward wanting results now. We’d rather buy that new iPhone than save for our retirement. We feel relationships should be fun and easy with minimal effort. We’d rather play now and rake later. We want to lose weight, but our taste buds are driving the ride.
Whatever happened to delayed gratification? Have we forgotten the satisfaction of waiting? Has working for something special become passé? Why is instant indulgence an expectation?
Sadly, the Church is not immune to societal norms. With people all around us pushing for instant fulfillment, believers may conform to the thought that faith in Jesus alleviates all struggles – and then are disappointed when daily life continues to challenge us. I think that’s why recreation is such a strong draw for us on Sundays. We’ve been led to believe (by society) that we deserve the day away, and the worship of God is an option for another time. We can always go to church next week – church isn’t all that relevant for us anyway. Besides, it’s fun to spend the morning at the beach or the ballpark.
Being a Christian is not an easy path meant to provide a life of ease. In fact, being a Christian often moves us in a much different direction. Faith is fully about delayed gratification. Believing in Jesus today is an exercise in waiting… waiting for the glory that will be revealed in the end.
“Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9, NIV) The first letter of Peter is ultimately about hope in our future and the thrill that hope generates.
One of my greatest concerns about this time, when we are socially distanced from one another in the church, is that we begin to lose our connection to that hope and that thrill. Now that we have received the instruction that churches will remain closed for many more weeks, I wonder how our future will play out. When corporate worship is again acceptable, will we flock to the church in pursuit of the hope and joy that only Jesus Christ can give us – knowing that the end result will be delayed? Or will we first head to the beach for the more immediate satisfaction of fun and sun?
Since my hope rests in the Lord, I am confident where I will be. Life may be uncertain, but my eternal future is secure. My prayer is that we experience delayed gratification together.
Certain and secure,
Pastor Beth
Many days, I caddied eighteen holes of golf for my dad to earn a dollar and a coke knowing two things: the coke I earned tasted better than the ones given to me, and that dollar would be added to my savings rather than spent on something frivolous. My brother and I raked the yard for nothing more than the pride of having a good place to play. First we put in the effort, then we enjoyed the reward. There was a level of delight that followed the struggle.
Dwelling on “the good old days” isn’t my intention, but I think I am recognizing a cultural shift. Lately when I talk with folks, I feel we may be slanted with desires for immediate satisfaction. Our culture pushes us toward wanting results now. We’d rather buy that new iPhone than save for our retirement. We feel relationships should be fun and easy with minimal effort. We’d rather play now and rake later. We want to lose weight, but our taste buds are driving the ride.
Whatever happened to delayed gratification? Have we forgotten the satisfaction of waiting? Has working for something special become passé? Why is instant indulgence an expectation?
Sadly, the Church is not immune to societal norms. With people all around us pushing for instant fulfillment, believers may conform to the thought that faith in Jesus alleviates all struggles – and then are disappointed when daily life continues to challenge us. I think that’s why recreation is such a strong draw for us on Sundays. We’ve been led to believe (by society) that we deserve the day away, and the worship of God is an option for another time. We can always go to church next week – church isn’t all that relevant for us anyway. Besides, it’s fun to spend the morning at the beach or the ballpark.
Being a Christian is not an easy path meant to provide a life of ease. In fact, being a Christian often moves us in a much different direction. Faith is fully about delayed gratification. Believing in Jesus today is an exercise in waiting… waiting for the glory that will be revealed in the end.
“Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9, NIV) The first letter of Peter is ultimately about hope in our future and the thrill that hope generates.
One of my greatest concerns about this time, when we are socially distanced from one another in the church, is that we begin to lose our connection to that hope and that thrill. Now that we have received the instruction that churches will remain closed for many more weeks, I wonder how our future will play out. When corporate worship is again acceptable, will we flock to the church in pursuit of the hope and joy that only Jesus Christ can give us – knowing that the end result will be delayed? Or will we first head to the beach for the more immediate satisfaction of fun and sun?
Since my hope rests in the Lord, I am confident where I will be. Life may be uncertain, but my eternal future is secure. My prayer is that we experience delayed gratification together.
Certain and secure,
Pastor Beth
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