I found myself in our home office yesterday, staring at the papers strewn across the L-shaped desk. Noticing the overflow of the trash can spilling into the floor. The abandoned cups and bowls and silverware and headphones and cds. This office is not my own. I share it with teenagers doing homework and checking their email and surfing facebook. I pushed aside a bit of clutter and found myself thinking I can’t wait for the day when I have the office all to myself.
Then I stopped. I spend way too much time thinking “I can’t wait for the day when ________,” a day I have no guarantee will ever arrive.
That’s when it struck me that my problem wasn’t wishing for some future day—it was which day I was longing for! I should spend time thinking I can’t wait for the day when the Lord will wipe every tear from our eyes, when we will have no need of moon or sun for the Lord will be our illumination, when we worship before the Lamb that was slain. That isn’t futile wishing. That is longing for what the One who cannot lie has promised.
So it isn’t really my thought process that needs to change, just its focus. I can’t wait for the day when that won’t be such a problem for me—the day I will be like Him because I will see Him as He is.
What is it about other people's clutter left behind in our shared spaces that triggers such misery and discontent?
Great post, Anne! As always!
Toes sufficiently stepped on. Thanks.
Actually, I find this post ironic because I thought of writing something similar to this a few weeks ago. My save draft is entitled "Why Wait for the Happy Times?"
Things are going smoothly in my life right now so I'm actually experiencing happy times. But instead of enjoying it, I find myself thinking, "Oh no. What's next?"
Niki, the older I get the more shared spaces drive me crazy! Could it be God's way of preparing me for an empty nest? 🙂
VV, I'm the very same way. I think it's that writer's imagination that helps us put our character into "oh no" situations that makes us wonder what's coming next when our lives go too smoothly!
It's not only other people's clutter, it's my own. This is something I always struggle with and recently it's driving me up the wall.
I just got done going through piles of mail and there is so much junk mail it's ridiculous and I resent having to even look at it. Okay. I'm whining. But I knew you'd let me. 🙂
Yes, Jillian, this is always a safe place to whine. 🙂
Good to hear from you!