I Want it NOW !!!!

Have you ever noticed the propensity of really little kids to want things "right now"?  It's a part of the territory for those little toddlers, a part of their natural curiosity, and a part of their learning process.  Because of that propensity of wanting it now, they come to learn the words "no" and "not now".  They begin to learn one of the harsh realities of life....we don't always get what we want when we want it.

But wait....if you are like me, the "not now" lessons my parents tried to teach me way back when seemed to have come when I was out on recess.  That said, I aced the course of Instant Gratification 101 with flying colors.  And boy, can that mess me up.  And how many times it actually has !!!!

Instant gratification and the "Monster of More" are partners in crime within us.  Between them, they can cloud our judgement more than we would ever like to admit.  At least that is what happens to me at times.  Case in point...many years ago a friend of mine was going to sell his motor home.  Instantly, faster than the Lone Ranger's bullet, I decided we "needed" it.  And here is where "instant justification" kicked in.  I came up with a slew of reasons why we had to have it and made the deal...before talking it over with the wife.  You can imagine how that conversation went.  It was preceded with a rather terse comment..."I think the ONLY thing you haven't bought or owned is an airplane". 

While that is a case of instant gratification/"monster of more" of grand proportions, it is perhaps the overall accumulation of smaller, almost daily instances that can really hurt us...and hurt our relationships.  A seasoned case of instant gratification erodes our ability and our desire to constantly seek God's will for our lives.  Even a partially seasoned case of instant gratification is synonymous with an I'm in control attitude in our lives.....and it is hard to let go. 

Gut check time:  If you were to take the time, in what ways do you fall prey to....

• "I want it now!"
• "I've just got to have that"
• "I really want that"

I haven't entirely kicked the problem of instant gratification/monster of more.  That's because I'm still broken and still like to think I can control my life all by myself.  But I am better than I ever was because I have adopted a personal policy, one that anyone can use themselves.  Whenever I am feeling like I am buying on impulse, by reaction, without plan, without regard to absolute need, and without speaking about the purchase with the wife first....I walk away and give it 2 or 3 days to think it through and speak with the wife.  The result is that my buying is now pretty much limited to actual needs, by a plan, and with consent.....and I don't get those awful "monster of more" headaches anymore.