"Oh, just wait"

I recently heard a conversation that went down like this...

Married couple: How is married life going?
Newly married man: Great! Not too much is different. Just really enjoying it.
Married couple: (with laughter) Oh, just wait!

Have you heard that response before? Have you given that one before? I'll be honest with you, I can't stand it. Heather and I heard it a lot when we were engaged, basically implying that your marriage will stink it up later, so just enjoy it now. It is a pessimistic and negative view, and lacks any sense of hope. It is suggesting that eventually, whatever is good in your life will hit so-called 'reality' and you'll just settle into the status-quo like everyone else.

We say 'just wait' with everything from marriage, to parenting, to work:

• "You really love each other now? Oh, just wait till you're married for 10 or 15 years."
• "Parenting is going well right now with your grade school kids? Oh, just wait till they are teenagers."
• "You're loving your new job? Oh, just wait till you're around here a little longer."

And I'm not suggesting that the 'power of positive thinking' or some other mumbo-jumbo will overcome these attitudes from becoming reality. It takes hard work. There's no doubt about it. It takes a lot of humility and purpose to keep your marriage from becoming mediocre. It takes a ton of investment and love into your kids to prepare for the teen years. It takes resisting the negative cubicle talk to rise above and find joy in the workplace.

But believe it or not, it is possible. In Jesus, we follow a Savior who conquered death, and has the ability to overcome anything in your life. There is hope. So don't believe the myth of 'Oh, just wait.' Rather, believe the truth of Jeremiah 29:11-13.