The Drive for Instant Gratification

Abba, thank you for showing me that I don’t have to be a slave to my passions, and least of all to my drive for instant gratification. Please forgive my idolatry, and help me to cast this idol far away from me, even as you continue to show me how the “microwave mentality” shows up in other areas of my life.

Help me to return to you with all my heart, with fasting (Joel 2:12). Enable me to crucify my flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24), in order that sin’s dominion over my body may be abolished, so that I may no longer be enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6). Teach me to discipline my body and bring it under strict control (1 Corinthians 9:27) in order to worship and serve you fully. And help me to be the kind of person who by constant use of my spiritual muscles trains myself to distinguish between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14), in Jesus’ name, amen.

(the prayer that closes chapter six, "The Microwave Mentality," in my book, American Idols)

2 comments:

Inspector Clouseau said...

Does the drive for instant gratification increase as a society's "quality of life" improves?

Nice blog work. I came across your blog while “blog surfing” using the Next Blog button on the blue Nav Bar located at the top of my blogger.com site. I frequently just travel around looking for other blogs which exist on the Internet, and the various, creative ways in which people express themselves. Thanks for sharing.

Hoss said...

Thank you for the comment, Inspector. :)

I think the drive for instant gratification DOES increase in an affluent society, because we become accustomed to quick results...and what we grow accustomed to, we tend to think of as a right.

Thanks again for visiting, and for commenting.