Delayed gratification isn’t something we excel at in America, and my generation is particularly bad at waiting. We want to live in the homes our parents saved up for decades to buy as soon as we graduate college. We want the latest Apple product, a big house, five cars, and we want it all right now.
I think the hard part of delayed gratification is (wait for it, brilliance coming in 3…2…1…) that the whole gratification process is delayed, as in not instant, not right away, not right this moment.
It’s not as convenient to have to wait to go to a store to buy a CD to listen to a song as it is to download it on our phones instantly.
It’s not as convenient to call your friend to see what they’re doing when you can just check their latest Facebook update instantly.
It’s not easy to fight sin even though we know it won’t ultimately satisfy us, because we think it will bring instant satisfaction.
Honestly, gratification that isn’t instantaneous seems pretty weak. Why wait for something better when I could have something else right now? That’s the problem with storing up treasures in heaven where Jesus reminds us they won’t rust or be stolen (or be outdated months later by the next version or model).
Jesus doesn’t tell us we shouldn’t seek treasures. He just tells us to seek the better treasure.
The better treasures are the ones we’ll have forever, but they aren’t tangible right now. We can’t touch them or download apps on them, but they are better and eternal and, ultimately, far more satisfying.
In the midst of a world that says now, faster, sooner, we have to say, later, slower, better.
The joy of giving up current, fleeting pleasures and rust-prone treasures for ultimate, God-glorifying, crowns to lay at the foot of the throne of Christ in heaven is unimaginable.
But just close your eyes and try to to imagine how beautiful that will be. Let that moment when you exalt the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the God of the universe with the treasures you saved up just for Him drive you to say no to the immediate and yes to the ultimate.
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