Friday, March 5, 2010

Joy in the parentheses

People say that the past gets in the way of the present too much. That's probably true, but the future matters to me more. Perhaps this is because I'm young (a mere 21 years old; God willing I have more future ahead of me than past behind me). Right now the future is distracting me. I pray God for patience but I want joy now; without all the pain, anxiety, and heartache that comes with it. (My whole life up to now has been a parentheses; let's get to the good stuff already).

I've always been that way (is this a basic human trait, or am I special?). I'd love to learn piano without practicing or recitals; boy I hated those (If I had learned I would have been much better than you, by the way). I'm a lazy neat freak and an apathetic radical (my room's a mess and I haven't done a darn thing about the issues I care about). Wouldn't it be great if things just worked themselves out with no effort?

I think a lot of people have this "parentheses" view. It couldn't be more wrong. My life is a book and this is the good stuff. What's keeping me from having joy now? What, my singleness? My dependence on my parents for money? The pain in my back? Pain is transient (seriously, it's getting better), singleness is where God wants me right now, and God bless my parents. In the words of my little brother, life is glorious. Rejoice!

3 comments:

  1. Rob, thank you. I am at a similar place and realized this week that it is time to be on my knees about this. I will pray for your joy too.

    Theresa R

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  2. If only we could be more like Ben, who had "the best day ever" because my mom bought him "Lucky Charms" for breakfast. I wish I still had that reckless spirit that's just looking for an excuse to be happy.

    I was just reading my Bible and came across Lamentations 3:25-27

    "The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
    It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the LORD.
    It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke in his youth."

    I wouldn't have thought of reading Lamentations for comfort but God really comforted me in these verses. He is the God of all comfort, after all. Thank you for your prayers Theresa, I will remember you in mine as well. Peace.

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  3. Rob, I think this might be a basic human trait, or at least I have the same problem. I find myself thinking that life will really start when I go to college, or when I graduate from college, or when I get married. But today is just as real as any day in the future, and what's more, I can do something about today.

    Along these same lines, Emerson wrote:
    "...man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time."

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