Fantasy of Future Fulfillment

Fantasy of Future Fulfillment
… a new beginning! 
Terry R. Baughman

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:13-14).

The deception of delay is a thief of time and the curse of unfulfilled potential. When opportunity comes knocking there is an option to answer the call or to ignore the moment with indecisive delays: “maybe later;” “what if it’s hard;” “how can I know what’s best” … all become excuses to wait. Wanting clarity, dreaming of the perfect moment, fearing the future, or merely resigned complacently to the comfortable, all supply the same purpose, to delay decisions. 

Tomorrow is the easy answer to all of today’s difficult decisions. It is often easier to postpone an answer than it is to act with resolve. An ambiguous “we’ll see;” “maybe so;” “later;” or “someday,” is often expressed in answer to the impetuous desire of youth seeking to bring tomorrow’s sunrise to today’s challenge. Fulfillment of today’s opportunity is the best preparation for the unsolved problems of the future. 

Today is the only time you own. Yesterday is spent and tomorrow is in reserve. The past is no place to live, but neither is the future. Now is the moment for living and the fulfillment of purpose. The razor thin existence of the present is the magical opportunity to effect change and shape the reality of future hope and distant dreams. If we seek only to live in tomorrow we miss the gracious gift of present reality. Daydreams of an illusive future reality denies us the opportunity to live a productive life today and experience fulfillment of the present.

Creditors promise we can live the dream and buy our future hopes with affordable monthly payments. The fine home, the luxury car, and exotic vacations are available now if we are willing to mortgage our future and pay the price with accrued interest perpetually binding us in debtors’ chains. In reality, the dream quickly vanishes, the car wears out and requires repair, and the home demands maintenance beyond our means. Our society seduces us to expect all the benefits of a future dream with an inflated price tag of a squandered present.

The fantasy of future fulfillment is the temptation to live the future now and skip through the process of maturity and preparation for that distant event. Since no one knows the future we are fooled into thinking we can jump ahead into a world that will never be and live a life we were never meant to live. When we are deluded in our minds our hearts are deceived and our direction is detoured on a dead end path.

God’s delight is in providing for our present and gifting us with a promise for the future. So, we must trust in Him for our tomorrows and embrace His provision for today. Bringing our dreams into submission to His higher purpose will position us for greater potential than we have ever imagined possible. Live each day walking the path of His provision, confidently looking to Him in faith for our future.

A new beginning starts with living in the present, trusting Christ for our future!
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Scripture:
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4 NIV).