“Expected future worth versus current value.”
I was awaken from my sleep in the middle of night with these words in my head. I had no idea what or why I had them there. I made note and went back to sleep. Several weeks later I came across the note during a personal struggle I was having and it fit exactly what I was going through in that moment. The phrase may mean something completely different for you, but this is what came to my mind when I read it again that day…
So often, we are quick to think of all the “stuff” we can gain and that our value or worth is based on "stuff". Many end up in debt over trying to increase their current value quickly and outwardly in order to indicate or feel that they are successful and worthy. In this process, you don’t realize that you have devalued your future worth. You have given up a dollar to gain a penny’s worth when you should be trading pennies for dollars. That doesn’t make much sense, does it? What if there was a better way? What if my ability to deny myself instant gratification would lead to bigger things? I don’t just mean more “stuff” but I mean big life changes that would give you more than you can imagine. Who you are is far more important than what you have. Having more things does not make you a better or more important person. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have a list of things I would like to have one day. I am a human! But I would rather deny myself those things now in order to gain them one day without going into debt. I would rather develop Godly habits that He speaks of in His word and wait for His blessing because I was obedient than to jump ahead of do it on my own and hope for the best. I have been there more times than I care to admit….ahead of God.
I was not willing to wait for what I wanted. I would just “get it” because it’s what I wanted. I just knew it would make me happier but most times happiness didn’t follow. All that followed was regret, financial issues, or anger. Waiting is still hard for me. Slowly but surely God is working that change in me and giving me the ability to wait better. I would rather be prepared for those blessing so that I can be a good steward of them. I don’t want to gain more to just lose more because of my inability to properly handle it. I have lost a lot over the years and I am even in debt from those things lost. I want to be a good steward of my current value to be prepared for my expected future worth. I believe that when we neglect to be proper stewards of what we have now that we are denying our future blessings. Blessings that would be far better than our current value of grabbing everything we can RIGHT NOW in ways that we shouldn't be using to obtain it. My inability to be a good steward of what I had at that moment and respecting my value at that time affected my future worth (now my current value).
So many people make their life miserable with financial stress and working a million jobs just to hold on to stuff. Stuff that doesn’t really make their life any better. They are missing time with their families. Their children are being raised by someone else or the children are raising themselves. They are missing out on LIFE. They aren’t able to live the life that God intended for them. I have said this before, we are all created for a unique purpose. We are not here to wake up, go to a job to make money to pay bills, come home, sleep then do it all over again the next day just to have “stuff”. YOU are meant for more. I am meant for more.
I am meant to move beyond the bad habits of my past to reach a better future. I am determined to break the old cycles that have been in my family for years. More years than I can even count. Your life is also not determined by your past or your family’s past. Don’t believe the lies that you are stuck or that you can’t help it because that is how you were raised. YOU can move beyond your current value by believing in your expected future value. Always, move forward to that no matter how long it takes. No matter where you are now there is always a higher worth for your future if you are willing to be a good steward of your current value.
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