Stop Waiting For Things to Get Better

Stop Waiting for Things To Get Better.

You probably have never heard that as wise advice, have you?

Yep, me either.

Just hang with me a second, and I will help you understand why this phrase of advice has been permeating my life lately.

When you are going through something, what is a common piece of advice people give you?

• Just hang on- things will get better.
• Joy is coming.
• There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

These are all pieces of advice I have heard. I also give this kind of advice on a regular basis. I am by no means saying this is bad advice (often times it is good), but the underlying truth has to be addressed.

If we can’t learn to find the joy in today- in the crazy, ugly parts of life, the “joy” we have when life is “good” isn’t really joy.

It is happiness.

It is situational.

That is often talked about- the difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness is situational. You feel happy when things are good. You feel sad when things are bad.

Joy is something that is deep and comes from a place inside even when things are not good. You can be sad and also have joy simultaneously when it’s true joy.

Josh and I have talks often about this. He will be down and in the dumps and talk about things getting better when we get to…fill in the blank. When we have this vacation, or how things will be easier when our kids are older, or when our house is paid off, or when we have a job we like, when we feel like we are doing what we are supposed to do…

I am by no means saying that we shouldn’t look for God to do things in our lives expectantly… (If you know me, you know I strive to live by this).

I always look with great anticipation for when I can see God’s promises come to pass.

But, I am determined and have been over the last few years to stop looking for the “next thing” to make me happy.

Rather, I wait with expectation to see God do great things.

I’m not going to wait for things to get better to experience what God has for me.

I do not want to waste one second on this earth just waiting for things to change.

Or waiting for that “thing.”- Whatever that “thing” is.

You can wait with expectation, yet still completely content…Only in Christ- only in the freedom and satisfaction He brings…Only in the purpose He has for you- fulfilling your part to honor Jesus and bring others to know Him.

So while we wait with expectation, we can also stop waiting for things to change in order to have joy.

I know so many people (myself included at times) who literally are always waiting for the next thing to make them happy.

I won’t be that way.

Please don’t let that be you.

Choose it today.

There will always be junk in our lives. There will always be something we wish were better or different.

So, let’s live, truly live today, and stop waiting.

Aly