I Want it NOW | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: I Want it NOW | Previous Challenge Entry
By Judy Doyle
01/24/08
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"I Want it NOW!"

Sandy was a quiet, young lady and a perfectionist. Sandy didn't know how to begin
anything gradually, it was all or nothing.
"I am so sore," whimpered Sandy as she limped into the office. "I can't believe I hurt
so!"
"What did you do this time?" I reluctantly replied.
"It's the first of the year and I decided it was time to get fit. Last night was the first night
for my aerobics class. I jumped and wiggled and twisted for over an hour."
"An hour?" I retorted. "Uh, have you been exercising?" I quizzed.
"Well, duh, no. I said wanted to get fit. Remember?" She answered sarcastically.
"Maybe you should have worked out for only thirty minutes. If you begin exercising
gradually, you might not ache so much."
"Yeah, right! But I paid for an hour and I'm going to get my money's worth."
"Okay, whatever!" I responded as nonchalantly as possible. I knew Sandy always
jumped into a project with both feet. She wasn't going to begin exercising with any amount of
caution. It was all or nothing.
After one week, it was nothing. In her perfectionistic way, when Sandy didn't see
progress, she quit.
It was about a month later when Sandy came to my little cubicle. She was quiet, yet there
seemed to be something different about her. "Can we talk?" She asked hesitantly and quietly.
"Sure. What's up?" I asked as I leaned forward to listen.
"I've heard you talk about your God, forgiveness and all that stuff. Do you really believe
that?" She inquired with an intensity I'd never seen.
"Of course, I do. Why?"
"Do you think your God would forgive me?"
"Yes. God forgives anyone who asks." I replied with certainty.
"Last week I went to church and I asked God for forgiveness, and I had such peace. But
now . . ." Her voice trailed off and I thought I saw a tear fall from her eye. "The peace I had that
night seems so far away now. I thought God would always be with me."
"Oh, Sandy, I assure you God is always with you. You are experience growing pains."
"I am?" She asked.
"Oh, yes. You are what we call a ‘baby Christian.' It takes time to mature your faith.
It's like being a baby, there are stages you go through. First you are an infant, toddler,
preschooler, school-age, adolescent, and then adult. If you keep trusting God, reading the Bible
and attending worship services, your relationship with God will grow." Sandy was listening
intently. I was impressed with Sandy's interest.
Then she surprised me. "You mean I can't be like Billie Graham or Mother Teresa right
now?"
"No, Sandy, Christianity isn't an instant mix. It has to be grown. It doesn't matter how
long one is a Christian, one is always growing." How does one begin to explain growing to one
who wants everything instantly? "Sandy, a farmer plants a seed. Does he go to the field every
day, dig around in the soil to see if the seed has germinated and is growing?"
"Of course not." She replied.
"Why not?" I continued to force her to think.
"He would destroy the growth of the seed."
"Absolutely right." I answered. "Even if the farmer can't see the growth of the seed,
growth is happening. Same thing with one's spiritual life. It takes time. You've got to trust
God."
"No instant growth?" She responded. I shook my head.
"I've got to trust? Right?" She continued. I nodded
"It's going to be difficult for me, you know? I want what I want right now." She said
with a wry smile. "Will you help me?"
"Yes, of course, I'll help you, Sandy."

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