Get Out of Today

    Get your head out of today.  Stop dwelling on it.  Stop obsessing over it.  Just stop. Today is hard.  Today is rough.  Today the kids are small and needy and you get so, so tired.  Today the money is tight and the bills keep coming in.  Today you're single and lonely and  there doesn't seem to be anyone on the horizon for you.  Today work is hard and demanding and the boss just won't let up.   Today there's not enough time to clean the house or organize the stuff.  Today, you fought with him or her and you just don't see how you can make this work.  Today you have insomnia and can't sleep.  Today you're sick and in pain and there doesn't seem to be anything anyone can do for you.  Today you're sad and you don't understand why and no one seems to understand.  All this bad stuff is happening today.  You obsess over it and dwell on it and you don't understand why God isn't answering your prayers.  

     So, stop thinking about today.  Instead, think about tomorrow.  Or next week.  Or next year.  Even 5 or 10 years.  To a time when the kids aren't so small and needy and you'll have some breathing room.  When money won't be quite so tight.  When you find that other, that PERSON that makes everything okay again.  Think about a time when you're "arrived" at work and the boss stops nagging.  When there's finally, YES!  enough time to clean and organize all the stuff.  When you don't have insomnia and sleep comes all night every night.  To a time when the sickness is cured and your pain is gone.  When your sadness is gone.  To a time when everything will be alright with the world.  Okay, so maybe not perfect, but at least your problems will be different!  And different is good!  You know it will happen.  Because life didn't used to be this hard.  At least not hard like this.  And don't forget all those promises!  

     What promises?  The ones from God.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  The ones that someone always wants to quote in a singsong voice every time you complain.  Like 1 Corinthians 10:13 ...And God is faithful;  he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  Okay, so he trusts you.  A LOT!  And you've born much.  But you haven't fallen yet, right?  And that slip, that was okay because he understands how hard this is.  You're still there.  Still traveling that narrow path that he chose for you.  Still believing.  Still trusting.  You might be on your knees by now.  Even crawling.  But you're still moving.  Still praying.  Still waiting.  Waiting.  That other promise.  Isaiah 40:31  Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength;  They will mount with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.  Yes, my friend, this is the waiting.  This hard life.  This exhausting journey.  He never said we'd wait idly.  And the word 'idle' is not part of this life.  Not for us.  

     It won't always be like this.  This hard.  This tough.  This is the waiting.  This is the endurance part of that race.  But it has to be done.  And we are the ones who have to do it.  Why us?  I don't know.  But I do know that a hard life isn't necessarily an unhappy life.  Not if I don't make it so.  Not if I can get up every morning and count the blessings.  I have them and so do you.  Think about it.  It's that significant other who never complains.  That friend who's always there for you.  That unexpected promotion at work.  That bonus money that came at just the right time.  That stranger who bought you coffee.  That song that you love that came on the radio just when you were struggling.  It's all there.  He's RIGHT THERE.  

     But get your head out of today.  Get it into tomorrow.  Look forward to His blessings.  Count on His generosity.  KNOW it will happen for you.  Put your hope in tomorrow.  Today is hard, but it won't always be this hard.  Not for me.  And not for you either.  He promised us.