The Next Thing: Is it a blessing or a curse?

Vol. 15 No. 51 | December 31, 2012

The next thing: Is it a blessing or a curse?

Obviously there are times when the next thing is a good thing. When times are difficult just getting to the next thing is a major thing. Getting to the next thing means progress and usually means moving forward. So, the next thing can be a blessing.

The next thing is just that, the next thing on your list to do. The next thing is always there no matter how short your To Do list is. Even if your next thing is Do Nothing, it is still there. It is the next thing. Rarely will our list include Do Nothing. It seems that there is always one more thing to do.

So the next thing may be more of a curse than a blessing.

While we are having lunch we often talk about what we are going to have for dinner. While we are having dinner we talk about what we will have for dessert. After dessert we talk about what movie we are going to see. As we sit waiting for the movie to begin we talk about whether or not we are going to have coffee later.

When we are children we cannot wait until we are teenagers. Once we reach our teen years we look toward the next phase when we can go to college or get our of our parents’ home. The next thing is to get a job, then have to find a spouse, then have a child, then get through the terrible twos, then through the teen years, then into college, then out of college, then hope they get a job, then hope they find a spouse, then push them to have children…GRANDCHILDREN.

The next thing is always out there calling us, pushing us, challenging us, pressuring us, and if we are not careful causing us to look past and missing the beauty in the present moment.

While you were enjoying a wonderful lunch with friends you spent more time talking about the next thing on your schedule and missed much of the beauty of the friendly conversation. While you were having your last meal with the family on vacation you were, in your mind, mapping out your travel plans for the trip home.

The curse of the next thing likes to rob us of joy of the moment. The curse of the next thing loves to cause us to worry about tomorrow so we will ignore the pleasure of today. The curse of the next thing does all it can to blind us to the beauty of the present thing. The curse of next thing can leave us wondering what we missed and filled with the miserable feelings of regret over what could have been.

So how do we avoid the curse of the next thing? I know of only one way:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-33, NIV)

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV)

Do not worry about tomorrow. Seek first His kingdom. Be careful how you live. Make the most of every opportunity. Understand what the Lord’s will is. Live in the moment.

There will always be a next thing. How you handle it will determine if it is a blessing or a curse.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.