We’ve been doing a lot of planning since we put our house on the market (listing photos HERE), and started watching our builder break ground on the new lake house. It’s exciting to see the work being done and to dream of a new place to build our NEST, but in the excitement I have at times found myself future tripping to the point of obsession.
Scouring Pinterest and sharing ideas with the hubs on our private House Ideas page, studying the house plans and trying to figure out if the couch would look better here or there or if we need a whole different couch altogether, and gathering ideas from some of my favorite home décor bloggers – Might I want to put a pretty wallpaper accent wall in my bedroom too?
Oh how difficult it can be to imagine decorating a house one has never seen.
POOR ME, right?
One day, the Lord stopped me short in the middle of my obligatory daily Bible reading (obligatory because I’d become so obsessed with other matters that I was rushing through with a, “Please Lord, speak quickly”). And He did. With this:
“Listen carefully, those of you who make your plans and say, ‘We are traveling to this city in the next few days. We’ll stay there for one year while our business explodes and revenue is up.’ The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears one moment and then vanishes another.” Hebrews 4:13-14 The Voice
UH-OH!
Future tripping. I don’t know about you, but it’s a trap that is SO easy for me to fall into. Sometimes it’s in the form of worry over the dreadful thing that will surely come to pass. Other times it is in hyper-anticipation of good things to come. Either way:
Future tripping is JUST. PLAIN. ARROGANT. Share on X
In truth, only God knows the future, and in the blink of an eye my whole life can change, as it has in the past with sometimes welcome, sometimes not, life events. As a matter of fact, If God chose to call me home tonight, today would be my only future. Share on X
I’m not saying that it’s wrong to plan wisely for the future, but getting carried away in the planning can be to our detriment. It can lead to fear of what’s to come or wanting to escape the now to get on to something better. When we aren’t living each day and moment to the fullest it certainly can rob of us of JOY and PEACE.
So instead of future tripping, how about living each day to the fullest? Jesus did!
Listen to this:
Psalms 113-118 are known as the Hallel or “praise” psalms. They were sung as part of the Jewish Passover meal. On the night of Jesus’ last Passover meal, His “Last Supper”, the Bible says in Matt. 26:30 and Mark 14:26, that Jesus and his disciples shared the Passover meal together, and afterwards, “when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
Yes, the night Jesus was arrested and taken to trial, before walking the road to the cross where he would be crucified for our sins as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, Jesus ate the Passover meal and sang praise songs, knowing fully what was to come.
Listen to Psalm 118:24, NLT, part of the lyrics from the Hallel, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Wow. Just WOW!
Jesus. The Son of God and in essence, God Himself. Fully aware of His immediate future, He praised God in the moment.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I confess that I am a doer, and a planner, and that sometimes I get so caught up in my own obsessive planning that I neglect You. I, in my selfishness, fall short of the admonition to due all to Your glory. Please forgive me. Thank you for giving me a wake-up call, even in my half-hearted time spent with You. Thank you that Your love for me never fails and that You pursue me even when I’m bent on my own pursuits. What grace. What love. Jesus, make me more like You. Amen
Can any of y’all relate to my struggles with future tripping? If so, I pray that God will speak to you personally today. He longs to speak to us if we’ll only take the time to listen.
Blessings friends,
Disclaimer: No, these aren’t pictures of my new home and gardens, or even pictures from my wish list. I don’t think I dream that big! These are pictures from the Gardens of Greenville tour 🙂
I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
SundaysAtHome, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays
Monday:
IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends, InspireMeMonday, GodSizedDreams
Tuesday:
TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday, WriterWednesday
Thursday:
ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet
love your comment! That’s where I’ve been for a bit excited about getting things accomplished on my house. Love the picture of the church. Now there’s a church I could enjoy sitting and meditating on God and His Word. All His beauty surrounding me.
It is hard not to let our excitement become our obsession isn’t it Brenda? Oye! The church is Fred Symmes Chapel (AKA The Pretty Place) in Cleveland, SC. It is at a YMCA camp and a wonderful place to visit.
I “could” future trip but I stop myself in my tracks. Too much anxiety. I am focusing on TODAY. Sufficient for the day…xo
You are a better man than I dear Susan! I know, we’re not men. That’s a phrase my mother used to use, and I seem to be using more and more of my parents colloquialisms as I become more aged. Future tripping does indeed cause anxiety and I want to keep this building adventure FUN. Isn’t God good to speak whispers into my noise filled ears? 🙂
I sometimes get caught up in a whirl, but I’m usually able to step back and simply enjoy.
I’m excited for Christmas and would be happy to have started decorating in October, but that robs Thanksgiving of its due. I saw people decorating for fall in August and then by late September say they were so over it and watched them dig out Christmas before Halloween.
I think we all need to slow down, savor each day and look for the joy in the special moments that occur each day.
With that said, how exciting to be building a new home and for you to be back on the water.
I totally agree with you about waiting to decorate for Christmas, at least until November! How sad to be over the Christmas decorations before the holiday even arrives 🙁 Bloggers are especially guilty of this but I’m a stubborn one. That said, I won’t be decorating for any of the holidays until our house is off the market. Stager’s rules!
I, too, can be a future tripper and it robs me of contentment. I have to fix my eyes on Christ and spend more time in prayer and gratitude for now, but sometimes it takes me a while to realize this. I’m thankful God is gracious in reminding me I’ve sprinted ahead of Him and His forgiveness.
I’m thankful for his forgiveness too Debbie! It seems I’m always sprinting ahead and then coming back to His side when I get into trouble!
These are good words for this compulsive planner! I’m with Susan: “sufficient for the day . ..” (But then, she’s always so wise!)
Susan is very wise and has a better grasp on seizing the day than I do! Thanks Michele.
My husband and I are in a similar situation, Patti. We are preparing our house to sell it, though we are in no rush to put it on the market just yet. But the uncertainty and even the joy of the future can easily steal my focus from the Lord, so I appreciate your warning and open-hearted disclosures here, my friend. I want to keep my focus firmly on Him.
Thank you for commenting on my post Beth. I think the key to living life to the fullest each day is an attitude of gratefulness and seeing God’s hand in the little things. I’m excited for you that you are making plans for a new house. Enjoy the wait! 🙂
Yes! I suffer from that at times, too! I’m learning to take things slowly and let God have my plans and change my focus (which isn’t always easy, because I can be pretty grabby at times).
I think we all can be grabby Anita! So glad that God is patient.
I can definitely relate to future tripping! It’s one of my biggest hangups. 🙁 God has to constantly remind me to stay in the moment, right here, right now, where he is.
I’m so glad He cares enough about us to give us those reminders! Thanks Lisa.
I’ve spent a good part of my life “future tripping.” Nowadays, I’m focusing on practicing His presence in the here and now. It can be a struggle!
I’m so glad that you’ve learned to practice His presence. It CAN be a struggle indeed but it is the best place to live. Thanks Jerralea.
I have a tendency down this road of future tripping – thank you for sharing. Good stuff to ponder!
Ahhh, thank you Julia! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank you, Patti! This is such wise and needed advice. In a season where change seems to be the only constant, I fall prey to future tripping often, but I keep feeling this tug to slow down, center myself on God and live each day to the fullest. Thanks for speaking to my heart today.
Oh Carlie, I’m so glad this post spoke to your heart. Constant change can sure mess with our thoughts and emotions can’t it? Thanks for blessing me by commenting on my post.
Future tripping is something I do often and it brings on so much anxiety. I need to learn to live in the moment.
It is a process, and sometimes we do it well, sometimes not so much. Thank the Lord that He is transforming us daily!
Guilty!
God is a God of order, so I know that our plans are important. Even scripture says a man makes plans and counts the costs. We don’t go blindly ahead. BUT… He does want us to follow HIM and if we are following HIM our plans should be the result and thus His plan for us too. All true in our ideal world… but we do obsess over things more trivial than a new home. God wants you to enjoy the process and your new home, I’m sure… just not ahead of him because it’s a temporary home and though the process is fun our true joy comes from Him. These words are all great reminders to ME, Patti Recently I have ripped through my quiet time eager to get onto a project. So sweet sister… you’re not alone.
I’m excited for you and your new home… hope you sell your current home at just the right time. Will you be decorating it for Christmas?
xoxo
Impatience with God’s timing – that’s all future tripping really is – and if you do it too then I’m in good company 🙂 I’m with you and I do believe God wants us to enjoy the process of building. He is the One who caused all the pieces to fall together after all. Still, there is the life here in the now to be lived while we wait. No Christmas decorating per our mean, mean stager Leslie! LOL! It’s okay though because I get to go to my youngest daughter’s home in Hawaii for the Christmas holiday. Another poor me, right? I am missing decorating though so I’ll be putting up a post of pictures I never shared last year.
Thank you for the “me too” Diane.
Happy Thanksgiving <3