One of the most important challenges you will face in life is the ability to forgo immediate temptation or to persist in undesirable activity, for the sake of something that is more fun, pleasurable long-term gains.
As easy as this may sound to the ears, self-denial is difficult. Pressure has to be applied. Naturally, humans are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The body wants instant gratification and does not want to be stressed to wait for what can be ravished now.
A delayed gratification is a form of self-control that requires a great deal of discipline, self-mastery, and willpower. It is denying yourself of your favorite meal of Semovita, vegetable soup, and peppered goat meats accompanied by a can of Maltina by 10:00 pm so that you can look fit and trim in your birthday dress.
You can delay the gratification of purchasing something you don’t really need now for the long-term reward of having more savings and financial freedom.
As a believer, you cannot be successful in your walk with God without knowing how to say “NO” to the pleasures of sin today in order to receive the crown of life tomorrow.
Below are some strategies to help you build the muscle of delayed gratification
1. Deny yourself: Denying yourself means putting the will of God above your own will. As humans, we want to have a life of comfort, convenience, and wealth. That is not bad. However, if we put our own “wants and desires” first in our lives and the will of God second, then there will be a clash of interest – Matthew 16:26
2. Prioritize: Seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness should be your TOP priority. You cannot just claim to be in God’s kingdom without exerting the energy and time to pursue it. If God’s kingdom is really the top priority, you must find time in studying the Bible, taking up the ministry of reconciliation, being a channel of blessing to those around you, visiting the sick, and keep the commandments of God.
3. Plan: Delayed gratification does not come naturally. It needs to be intentionally and deliberately planned – Luke 14:28. Planning involves counting the cost. No rational thinking man would start building a structure without first planning how to go about it.
4. Know the value of God’s reward: The reward for faithful stewardship is simply INDESCRIBABLE. Our human mind cannot even start to fathom what it will feel like. Some of the rewards are listed in the following passages – Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:19, Hebrews 13:5, Revelation 5:10. This is why you must fight as hard as you can – I Timothy 6:12.
5. Be patient: Good things come to those who wait. Stand still and be patient are among the most difficult commands to obey – Galatians 5:22. Delaying gratification means you have to WAIT. The more you wait, the bigger the reward – Galatians 6:9.
In conclusion, to successfully make delayed gratification a lifestyle, you have to trust God. The level of your trust in Him and your conviction is what will keep you going when the hard times of life want to swallow your faith.
Those hard times are small potatoes compared to the joyful times that are ahead if you stick to the side of God – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (MSG)
I Pray God strengthens your faith and gives you the grace to adopt delayed gratification as a lifestyle in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen.
I will see you at the TOP!!!