As I write this article (June 1999) we have recently moved into a house we are renting in Orange City, Iowa. We are getting settled and adjusting to a new routine and town. When Gary begins taking classes at Northwestern College at the end of August, we will go through even more adjustments as he copes with studying and driving back to Rock Rapids to farm in the Fall and Spring. At least during the winters he can stay right here and not have to be on icy roads very often.
Life has been very busy as we’ve made this 50 mile move to a new house and community, and I caught myself thinking something quite often while I was packing and dealing with all of the preparations for moving: “Things will be better in the new house.” Every time I thought it, I knew it wasn’t true, but the thought kept popping up at odd times. The kids ran screaming through the room while I was trying to get some things packed… “Things will be better in the new house.” Gary got annoyed because I hadn’t fixed supper because I was packing… “Things will be better in the new house.” I got disgusted at how much stuff was jammed in the kitchen drawers… “Things will be better in the new house.” I got too busy and put off having devotions… “Things will be better in the new house.”
Do you ever catch yourself doing the same thing? You may be frustrated by a problem with anger, the need to lose some weight, an unhappy marriage, a strained relationship with a relative, problems at work, a messy house, or some other source of discouragement. Instead of dealing with the problem right now, are you saying, “Things will be better when (you fill in the blank)”? “Things will be better when the kids get older.” “Things will be better when I get through this stressful time.” “Things will be better when my husband changes jobs.” “Things will be better when life slows down a little.”
If we’re honest with ourselves, we realize that things usually will be no better than they are right now if we aren’t willing to do what’s necessary to start changing the situation we’re in. We must learn to trust and obey God right where we’re at, and then we can be content in any and every situation we encounter. Our lives may not magically get easier, but we can act in right ways and have a much better attitude while enduring the situation.
We’re in the new house now. The kids have not become perfect little angels, I still have to rack my brains to think of a good meal (and then I still need to make it!), we still have too much stuff, and it’s hard to make time for devotions when it seems there is so much to do as we unpack. Things will be better when we get to Michigan and Gary is in seminary…not! Now is the time to work on training my children well, to work on my housekeeping skills and use creativity as I organize this new home, to declutter our lives by getting rid of excess things, and it is really the time to dive into God’s Word and deepen my relationship with the Lord.
If you are dealing with chronic anger or some other problem, now is the time to work on it – not at some point in the future. God will honor any efforts you make toward improvement. You don’t have to be perfect! God does, however, want to see us growing in maturity and learning to be led by the Holy Spirit instead of our own fickle human emotions.
If you have invited Christ to be Lord of your life, then you can say, “Things will be better in the new house.” You can take disappointments and trials in stride in this life because you know that someday you’ll have a new home in heaven. There things really will be better and we’ll finally understand why we had to go through all that we did here on earth.
If you’re not sure where your new house will be, then check out My Life Story – at the end it explains how you can be absolutely sure.
Things will be better in the new house!
© Robyn Mulder 1999, therobynsnest.org