This may be indicative of my particular personality type, but sometimes I think the expectation of a vacation or other anticipated event is actually better than the event itself. Once a vacation is over, I find myself scanning the calendar and wondering what to plan for next. We keep a pretty packed schedule, so this also may be the byproduct of my busy lifestyle—living from one big thing to the next big thing, with regular life happening in between.

I hope that my living in this way isn’t because of my own tendencies toward discontentment. Scriptures like Hebrews 13 give us great advice about finding satisfaction in our current circumstances: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you;never will I forsake you.’” Convicting, for sure! My position in God’s family and His nearness to me is meant to determine my overall outlook on life.

I also don’t want to be the type of person who complains because few experiences meet my expectations. If that’s not a recipe for bitterness then I don’t know what is! I wouldn’t want to turn into a Debbie Downer who can reliably see doom and gloom around every corner. Someone who can take a sunny day and see only gray clouds.

In spite of trying to live a content and joyful life, I’m still called to keep my eyes peeled for something amazing just around the bend. The Message puts it this way in Philippians 3:20-21: “But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.”

So that’s where I find myself—hoping for something better while remaining content with what life is like here on earth right now. My eyes are pointed toward the heavens, searching for my saved seat in Eternity, but I’m still supposed to work hard to uncover joy in times of division, disappointment, and distrust with the humans I (get to) exist alongside. Looking forward to the Forever Future while loving others in the Tedious Today can be a difficult item to check off my to-do list, so I’m going to have to wake up every day committed to the task. I’m going to have to address the contents of my spiritual wardrobe as I attempt the advice given in Colossians 3. “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” An overcoat of love and forgiveness paired with designer sunglasses focused on greater things to come. That sounds like the perfect outfit to get me through another day on this side of Eternity.