Have you read the Proverbs? Do you seek wisdom for how to live your life well?
There are basic truths about our human nature and experience that are repeatedly learned and passed from generation to generation. You don’t have to be a Christian to see these truths, for it is made obvious to all. One is the pitfall of instant gratification, which leaves so many of us in long term misery.
James Clear the author of the popular book Atomic Habits writes “Most people will spend all day chasing quick hits of satisfaction. The road less traveled is the road of delayed gratification…At some point, success in nearly every field requires you to ignore an immediate reward in favor of a delayed reward.”[1]
Similarly, James the brother of Jesus and author of the book of James says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” [2]
Both authors speak to the wisdom of killing habits that produce quick-hit highs but lead to long-term pain. We note the success of the elite athlete who sacrifices pleasure for practice or how the person in the habit of self-denial exhibits immense resilience in the face of trial. We even admire and celebrate these achievements in people.
Deeper still, however, is the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ. He came into the world, was mocked and despised, chased and scorned, beaten and crucified. Through his momentary affliction, he attained an eternal salvation for all who would turn from their idolatrous lust for instant gratification and put their trust in him. Do you see that we admire these temporal feats of self-denial in individuals because built into us is a deeper desire to achieve an eternal joy? It is a desire that should lead us away from the lust of earthly desires and to Christ as our true and lasting satisfaction.
Jesus said that those who are willing to lose everything, to deny themselves will save their life. The inverse is true as well – those who would seek to save their life now will lose it.[3] This is typically the opposite of how we think of life. Though we may admire self-denial in others, we continually set our aim on self-preservation and maximizing temporary gratification.. We may hope that this temporary gratification will distract us from the unescapable pain, sorrow and death that this life guarantees. But our attempt to avoid this reality will only lead to misery and death. Which begs the question, what are these temporary blessings really worth, considering they will all fade away in an instant?
Both James Clear and James the brother of Jesus teach us that the path of delayed gratification leads to reward. But in Christ, the true wisdom of God, we are taught that this entire life is one that should deny instant gratification for the sake of receiving an eternal reward. A reward that outweighs any temporary suffering or delayed gratification beyond measure.
If you are merely living for momentary rewards that will fade away, will you reconsider and begin denying yourself for a greater joy to come? If you have never trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, seen in your pursuit of instant gratification, and do not understand the salvation that I’m speaking about, please reach out to me. If you are a Christian living like a material atheist, take up your cross and ask the Lord to rekindle your faith anew. The path of instant gratification leads to death. The path of delayed gratification leads to eternal blessing.
[1] Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits : tiny changes, remarkable results : an easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Jas 1:2–4). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
[3] Ibid., (Mark 8:34-37)
Wrecked & Revived 
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