One of the hardest things to do in life is to wait. We live in a world that encourages us to get what we want, when we want it, and as quickly as possible. Convenience has become normal. Patience has become rare.
If I am being honest, delayed gratification is something I still struggle with. Sometimes I see something I want and immediately begin convincing myself that I need it. Other times I tell myself that I have worked hard enough and deserve it. Before long, the line between wants and needs becomes blurred. But what if what we think we need is not really necessary? Think about that for a moment. It is a difficult truth to accept because many of us spend our lives pursuing things we believe are essential to our happiness. A bigger house. A newer car. A different job, that will be better. More money. More recognition. More possessions. More of something. We are often taught to pursue our needs and avoid chasing our wants. There is wisdom in that advice. Yet there are times when the better choice is to pursue neither.
Sometimes the answer is to wait. Sometimes the answer is to delay both what we need and what we want so that we can build something greater in the future. That is where thriving begins. Thriving is not simply having more. It is not about accumulating things. It is about becoming the kind of person who can manage opportunities, responsibilities, and blessings wisely when they arrive.
Delayed gratification teaches us discipline. It teaches us contentment. It teaches us that not every desire deserves an immediate response.
As I reflect on my own life, I often wonder how I managed to get from where I started to where I am today. There were many moments when I did not have what I wanted. There were seasons when I did not even have what I thought I needed. Looking back, I sometimes struggle to explain how I made it through. Thinking about it, I realized: God carried me. There is a familiar image that comes to mind: footprints in the sand. During the hardest parts of the journey, there appeared to be only one set of footprints. What seemed like abandonment was actually God carrying me when I could not carry myself.
The older I get, the more I realize that many of the things I desperately wanted would not have helped me at the time. Some would have distracted me. Some would have burdened me. Some may even have prevented me from becoming who I needed to be.
Waiting was not punishment.
Waiting was preparation.
That does not mean delaying gratification is easy. It is not. It often feels like sacrifice. It requires saying no today in the hope of something better tomorrow. But perhaps the real question is whether it is sacrifice or necessity.
Maybe it is both. Maybe the temporary discomfort of waiting creates the foundation for lasting success. Maybe what feels like deprivation today becomes the reason we thrive later.
So I leave you with a few questions. How do you delay gratification? Do you even want to? When you look at the things you are pursuing right now, are they truly needs, or have they simply become wants disguised as necessities? And could it be that what feels like waiting is actually preparation for something greater? Food for thought.
I genuinely want to know your thoughts, and I’m sure others do too. Feel free to comment 👍🏽, but if you’re not comfortable sharing, please reach out to me through any medium. I’d be thrilled if you could share something, anything, and let others know. Your comments help me understand your perspective and often present a completely different view on the topic. They could even inspire another blog. 😉 And you never know how your comment might benefit others. Remember, life is meant to be lived, and you should always strive to live your best life. #lifeisforliving #liveyourbestlife #gratefulforlife #faithgreaterthanfear
See you next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., Bogotá time.