In the long run

During a recent trip, I decided to join in (uninvited) on the conversation of two young men in the Historic city of Boston, Massachusetts. We chatted for a few minutes about struggles, triumphs, family and general life. Obi, one of the gentlemen said something that lingered in my head over the next few days. He said, “We don’t seem to be making rapid progress now but in the long run we will be better off for today’s efforts”. How true! I immediately began thinking of all my dear friends making vast investments in their tomorrow. They could today, venture out on their own and start a business, launch a ministry, pursue a career – but have chosen to wait, to study, to prepare, to lay a solid, firm and strong foundation – for their life work tomorrow. I think of Julie, the medical student who calls a friend she graduated with 2 years ago only to find out he (friend) just purchased a Jaguar automobile, while she (student) is still piling on student loans. I think of Chad, the young man in seminary studying to show himself approved, who possibly looks at the newspaper and sees that an evangelist, younger and possibly less trained, is coming to town headlining a crusade.

If you, my friend, are in this phase of life – doing what is right today in the hopes for a better tomorrow, but encountering the daily frustrations of seeming stagnancy. If you are getting that eerie feeling that this might all be a waste of time. If you are feeling the debilitating depression that follows dry spells and long stretched-out valleys. I have four words for you “In the Long run …” Consider the words of William James:

Let no youth have any anxiety about the upshot of his education, whatever the line of it may be if he keeps faithfully busy each hour of the working day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. He can, with perfect certainty count on waking up some fine morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation.