Instant Gratification- is the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay or deferment.

We are currently living in a world where we can pretty much get whatever we want WITHOUT DELAY.

For example,

• Amazon: with prime, you can order ANYTHING and it will be at your doorstep the next day. Like that isn’t good enough, they are considering delivering things by drones??
• Netflix, Hulu, and more: can watch just about any movie or TV show instantly. Do not even have to wait the next week to watch the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy, just click the ‘next’ button, or even better, wait 5 seconds and it will start itself
• Instacart: too lazy/ busy to go grocery shopping, it is okay, Kroger, Publix, Walmart, or any local store can do it for you!! You do not even have to step outside the car, they will bring it to you and load your car up. OR even better, deliver it to your doorstep. *my mind is blown by this*
• Tapingo: college students, you know what I am talking about. Don’t want to wait in that Starbucks line that is wrapped around the building?? Skip the line with the click of a few buttons and your drink will be made momentarily. A LOT of fast food places are doing this too!! As if the drive through isn’t good enough? (Besides Steak N Shake, the WORST DRIVE through, we need some instant gratification up in there, JK)

I am sure there is more I am unaware of but those are just some examples. Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of utilizing some of these resources. Amazon’s had my back multiple times. Forgot to get my sister a birthday present? Hit up my pal Amazon, it came knocking at the door just in the knick of time.

Yes, I have binge watched various shows: Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, PLL, Grey’s Anatomy (of course), White Collar, Friends, Glee, That 70’s Show, The Office, Stranger Things, New Girl, Riverdale (Cole Sprouse, marry me), and I have a list of more shows I want to watch. SO yes this new form of, may I call it a “lifestyle,” can be and has been such a blessing for myself and many others.

The problem is though, these things lead us to think we can get other things in life instantly and easily. For example:

• Financial stability/ money
• Get to graduation ASAP
• Want the best and highest paying job w/o experience or working for it
• Get that bod back in shape *works out one time, looks in mirror expecting to see abs and nice booty*
• Relationships- whether it be a friend or a boyfriend/ girlfriend
• To move on from that ex
• Get through our problems/ sufferings/ troubles ASAP
• Automatically be on “good terms” w/ God
• To be fully satisfied and happy

We want it all NOW and FAST and EASY. When in reality, that is not how life works honey. These are things that take time. It takes patience. ENDURANCE. To accomplish these things. And majority of the time, you will not be successful the first time. You will fail multiple times before achieving your goal. AND THAT IS OKAY, THAT IS LIFE. But we live in a culture where we are scared of failure. When, in fact, failure is the thing that shapes and forms you into the person you become. How you handle failure and get over it, shows what type of person you are. Are you going to be a person who gives up or are you going to give each try your all? Nobody gets to decide that for you except yourself.

It takes being DEEPLY ROOTED to achieve a solid relationship with Jesus, your friends, or that job. Think like a tree for a second-> Trees take years and years to grow. They are older and have seen more life than you or I have ever seen. You wanna know why? Because those guys are DEEPLY ROOTED into the layers of this earth. Trees don’t grow out wide to see how many things they can have or people they can know, but their roots go deep. Because of that, they can withstand the wind, rain, and storms that come at them. AND trees go through seasons where their leaves fall, shedding off the old. Then they bring in the new, blossoming fresh new beautiful leaves. Therefore, be like a tree.

Don’t be scared to slow it down and learn to be patient.

Roll down your windows and turn the music up, stopping here and there along the ride to enjoy the view. It is okay to take the scenic route because God didn’t create this beautiful world for nothing?!

Take the time to admire His creations, and when you do, you’ll realize there is much more to this world than just money, new cars, Iphone X’s, or even the “storm” you are currently in the middle of.

God is bigger than ALL of that.

He can do IMMEASURABLY MORE than you could ever ask or imagine. God’s dreams for you are abundantly more than your dreams for yourself, so follow God, not your dreams.

Follow what is for eternity, and that is God.