I bought a lot of books recently. In fact, my book que hasn't been this full in a long time. At the moment I have eight books in my lineup on top of the three I am currently reading. If you're not a "reader," let me encourage you to become one. There is so much to be learned in this world and I believe that reading by reading what others have learned and gone through we will be better equipped to navigate the course of our own lives.
The problem I have with books though, is that I can't seem to get through them fast enough. It seems like for every one book I read, five more are written that I want to read. I have some fantastic books on deck to read right now. Books like "The Starfish and the Spider," "Beyond Opinion," and the classic "Mere Christianity." But there were so many others that I wanted but didn't get. Books like, "Crazy Love," "The Sacred Echo," or "Wide Awake." I just wish there was a way to read faster. I wish there was a way to get things done now so I can move on to what the future has in store for me.
Have you ever felt like that? I don't mean with books but just with life in general. I remember wanting to get out of High School so badly because I felt useless there. I felt like I couldn't do anything with any degree of significance while I was stuck there. Then, as I moved into the working world I always believed I could do a better job then the people in the positions "above" me. If only someone would give me the chance. If only someone would give me the opportunity to show how great I am. If only they would open their eyes and see my talent. What's wrong with them anyway?
Then I became the guy in charge. After some hard work and experience I was given the opportunity to show what I was capable of. All of the sudden I found myself explaining to people with less experience why we do things the way we do them. A few people on staff were constantly saying that they would do things differently if they were in charge. But what they didn't understand was that what they were suggesting wouldn't work. I knew it wouldn't work because I had been in the business much longer than them. Then one day during one of these conversations it dawned on me that I used to be just like some of my staff members only now, I had more experience.
I heard a speaker once say, "Too many people want to be discovered, not developed." I was one of those people. Fortunately I have learned the value of being developed rather than just waiting to be discovered. Maybe you're in a place where you keep constantly looking into the future. Obsessing over what will someday be. The problem is that when we obsess over the future we neglect the present. If we are faithful to do the things God has called us to do TODAY then tomorrow will take care of itself. If we focus on how we're being developed in the present, then someone will discover us in the future.
I realize that this is not a mind-blowing, ground-breaking, deep-minded concept. I am aware that you're not reading this and thinking, "Wow! No one has ever said that before!" And I suspect I may even be breaking copyright laws for such an unoriginal concept. But I feel it's important to be reminded of this every now and then. To be reminded to live for today and not tomorrow. Because if we find ourselves constantly thinking about what "could be," on day we may find ourselves constantly thinking about what "could have been." I hope you never find yourself doing that. Just a reminder from someone who needed to be reminded himself.
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