Be Present: GOD & Marshmellows by Jeremy Barnes

An article I read in Time magazine referred to an experiment that was conducted in which 4-year-olds were asked to sit in a room. The researcher then told the children they were free to eat a marshmallow that the researcher placed on a plate, but if they waited, they could have two marshmallows when the researcher returned to the room.

Some of the children immediately ate the marshmallow. Others held out for some time, fidgeting and desperately trying not to give in. Eventually, they succumbed to the sweet temptation and ate the marshmallow. But a few of the children were able to hold on, closing their eyes, ducking their heads, singing, kicking the desk or doing whatever it took to not indulge in the tasty treat. When the researcher finally returned, they were rewarded with two treats instead of one.

Some would say that the children that waited had more self-control, or possibly more fortitude, but I admired what they exhibited in trust. They trusted that the researcher in the white lab coat would do what he said that he was going to do, even though they could not see the reward as they sat and waited. When the researcher decided that they had waited long enough--about 15 minutes, which is an eternity for a preschooler--they were rewarded.

Now although this research was looking at how children are able to delay gratification adjusted to societal demands placed on them as they age, I saw many parallels to what GOD asks us to do on a day-to-day basis. Often times, like the children, GOD asks us to wait on Him.  In a world of instant gratification, this request may seem impossible. He asks us to simply “Be still...” and know that He is a GOD of His word, a GOD that keeps His promises.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity. These seasons of waiting on GOD might seem like an eternity; They can produce anxiety, stress, worry, inner turmoil, or cause us to make mistakes, thinking that our ways are better than GOD’s. We might be tempted to think that we can somehow rush GOD into giving us the “marshmallows” that He has promised us. But if we can learn to take a deep breath, and hold fast to the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, we can experience the fullness of GOD's blessings:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

So take a deep breath, relax, and be still--knowing that GOD holds your future in His hands.

Encounter: 

• What are some areas of my life where GOD is asking me to wait on Him?
• What makes waiting so difficult? What are the thoughts that pop into my head, tempting me to rush forward instead of waiting on GOD?
• What promises do I cling to, helping me be patient with GOD? 

Devotional by Jeremy Barnes.  Posted by A. Allan Martin, by permission.