By Lynette Lewis
I got an email a few days ago that captured a common question.
A friend wrote….
I know God has put certain desires in my heart, but also has placed me here in this season for a reason. At times it can be challenging to live in the now, learning practical things and developing my craft when I so desire to go above and beyond. I don’t want to miss out on this season because I’m too focused on the next. Do you have any advice on how to balance having faith for the future while being joyful in the now?
To me it’s a lot about rhythm, pacing, the sequences that make music, speaking, fashion, and other pursuits truly beautiful. We don’t enjoy a song that is all loud, or all intense. Nor do we want all frills or all straight lines when it comes to fashion and design. Sweet and salty together make for the most palatable taste. This carries over into dreaming as well. It’s a mix, a balance.
There are moments of every day when I think ahead, look forward, dream about what I hope is coming. Yesterday for instance, in the midst of continued hospital visits and waiting room time in OK City, I had a 90-minute call with my friend Betty whose helping me on several projects in NYC. We dreamt together and felt the adrenalin flowing. At the same time, we discussed fixing and improving current efforts and problems we’re facing. At the end of our discussion it felt right, balanced, realistic yet visionary.
As a single woman I would talk at times about my future husband, dream about having kids and being a wife. At the same time I was living it up as a career woman, traveling and being trained in skills not necessarily needed at home. My day job was paying the bills, but my dreams were keeping my heart alive and fighting boredom. Joy was present most days, on most levels, as long as I kept in motion.
My summary point is this….do both. Dream ahead. Live now. Strike a healthy balance between the two. I also suggest journaling or making note of the skills and lessons you’re learning now that can lend perfectly to dreams yet to come. Imagine yourself as the master designer and how you would use all the varying components of the current set of elements now to prepare someone for what’s next. This creates a beautiful connection between every season and builds courage, rather than creating a sense of feeling disconnected and on hold.
Life IS a tension between the now and the next. But as we look back later we see a master design that’s even better than we knew!
___________________________________________________________________
Lynette Lewis is an author, business consultant and an inspiring speaker. Her popular book, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos, has been published in several languages receiving recognition from numerous sources including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and The Dallas Morning News. She is also an author of a relationships book called Remember the Roses. lynettelewis.com
Find Your Joy Now