Finding Joy in Today

Categories: RECENT RESEARCH

Steve Wright, M.A.

After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.” But Abram said, “Lord God, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.” Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that [numerous].” Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. – Genesis 15:1-6 (HCSB)

Growing up is difficult. If it was easy, it wouldn’t take so long. To me, growing up was a series of “waits.” I had to wait to do things I saw others doing. “Put that saw down, you’re not old enough.” “No, you can’t stay up until 10, you’re too young.”

Then, there was the wait for my driver’s license, the wait to graduate from high school and go to college.

After that, life began in earnest and I started to realize that it wasn’t about waiting at all. It was about trusting and believing.

Abram had heard from God on several occasions that his offspring would outnumber the stars of the sky or the grains of sand on the beach. Yet, here he was, getting older by the moment and childless. His frustration had reached a breaking point when God told him his reward would be great. At his age, rewards were useless. He didn’t need anything else. What he had wanted was a child to whom he could pass everything on to. The only one who would get his inheritance now was some guy named Eliezer of Damascus, apparently a slave in his household.

Then God spoke to Abram again and said that the reward He was talking about was that of numerous offspring. Many of us would laugh at something like that if we had been in Abram’s shoes (or sandals as the case may be), but he simply chose to believe God. I can imagine him just saying, “Oh, okay.”

There are things for which we wait on God, things for which we trust Him. If we believe and patiently wait we are exercising faith.

For many of us life can be about getting somewhere. We are impatiently waiting for the next big thing in our lives. We use the word “when” a lot. When this happens or that happens then I’ll be happy and content. Part of faith is being content on the journey and believing. Let’s find the joy in today and trust God for the rest.

Steve Wright, M.A., is currently a therapist at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center located in the Chicago area. He served for more than 25 years as a minister working in churches with youth, families and as a senior pastor. As a counselor, he worked in residential treatment as a therapist, supervisor, coordinator, and program director first in the substance abuse field and then in the eating disorder field.

Steve’s Bachelor’s degree is in Biblical Studies from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. He also has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Olivet University and a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago.