Business consultant Brian Tracy says, “The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success.” That’s good advice for the businessman and the Christian.
The desire for immediate gratification is at the heart of why many of us misuse our time each day. We trade what we really want for what we want right now. We’d like to raise children that love and serve God. But right now I’d rather rest than take them to Sunday school. We’d like to lose weight, be healthy and live longer lives. But right now I want that greasy fast food meal because it tastes good. Some day I want to live sacrificially and give to missions. But right now there’s a new gadget I really need.
Remember, no one ever achieved greatness for God or any other cause by choosing the path of immediate gratification. The delayed reward is God’s way to redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.
