My friend Chris is a superstar waiting to happen. His voice is hypnotic. His style is unique. He writes undeniable melodies and words you wish you’d written yourself. Someday, his music will make him a household name – but today, in the meantime, Chris is roofing houses. Yep – you read that right. Roofing. Houses.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being a roofer. It so happens there’s a roof on my house – I love it! And I remember writing the check for that roof, so I know better than to pity anyone in the roofing community. But imagine, for a moment, Bono or Sting up on your roof and you might better understand my point.
A small group of us got together for dinner the other night to catch up. Towards the end of the night, I noticed bruises and scrapes on Chris’s hands.
“Buddy, what in the world happened to you? You’re so banged up…”
“Yeah, I know…It comes with my job.”
“Really? Then it’s time to look for a new job. You play guitar with those hands. You hold a mic and a pen with those hands. You gotta protect them, man…Isn’t there something else you can do?”
“Sounds nice to me. But I’ve got bills to pay and a family to feed. I gotta take what I can get. It’s not like there are lots of jobs out there for someone in my situation. I’d leave tomorrow if I could. But…” He paused as he thought to himself, then continued, “I don’t know what else I could do.”
He made good points, even though I didn’t like them. I understood what he was saying and instantly felt ‘stuck’ with him.
Thankfully, our friend Mark didn’t. He leaned in, looked him straight in the eyes and said, “You mean, you don’t know what else you could do…yet.”
Dang! What a sentence – what a thought! I was so mad I didn’t think it first!
I watched as Chris’s whole demeanor changed. Instantly, pressure gave way to peace. Possibility took over and hope was renewed. In fact, we all just sat there quietly for a few seconds, taking it in, considering what that small, but powerful word – yet – might mean in our own lives.
Is anyone else out there waiting for someday?
All the love in the world to give – but no one to give it to…YET?
Your business is sinking and you don’t know how to rescue it…YET?
You’re in constant pain and your doctors haven’t offered any lasting help…YET?
Unfulfilled, unsure, ‘stuck’ and unable to move forward…YET?
Each of us has something we’re eager to get to, and something we’re eager to get through. Whether you’re wading through hardship or you’re a superstar waiting to happen, someday is coming – steadily and surely, day by day. Until your day gets here, don’t just settle in, accepting things how they are. Do the things you know to do, hold tightly to your hope and give yourself a break for not having gotten there…yet.
You may not know what to do differently today – that’s okay. Ask the right questions and the answers will come, right on time. The key is to never stop seeking what someday holds for you.
Come down off that rooftop and get into the spotlight where you belong.
What’s attached to your YET? What is someday holding for you? Comment below – I’d sincerely love to know.
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Chance, Thanks so much for this article. Frames my current scenario with my worklife. I know that next step in my career, it just isnt here yet. However every day i walk out of here knowing i left nothing on the table and gave my all.
My father recommended your blog to me about a month ago. Your words are inspiring and I enjoy reading them on lunch or when i finally get the kids to bed at night. Thank YOU for sharing your insights.
Hi Chance, I just read your self-introduction and it really gave me a lift. I like you!
Well, that just made my day. Thanks – I like you too. :) (Friend request me on FB and let’s get to know each other if you want.) :)
This is so good……5 years and counting on that “yet”.. God teaches us so much
in the waiting for the “Yet”.
I’m believing with my whole heart for your yet, Lisa.
Awesome message of hope. Some of your best writing to date. Thanks
Thank YOU, Betsy. I appreciate you reading AND commenting.
Excellent WORD- “YET”. Thanks for sharing Chance. Indeed, “a good word spoken in due season, how sweet it is!” My “yet” is the day that God releases me to focus all of my attention on writing, teaching and sharing His Good News and encouragement! For now, I write a little each day. I encourage others where and when I can. And I work alot of hours being a firefighter and a paramedic. I love helping people. It’s all ministry to me, but I haven’t preached in years…. one day that “yet” will come! God bless you as you continue to encourage others!
YET. wow…we’d dreamed for 20 years of owning my husband’s home farm. Here we are in the midst of the purchase! Our “yet” is unfolding bit by bit…follow your dreams. Take the risk. Regret is too big to live with.
A good word, at the perfect time. Thank you.
That makes me so happy to read. I’m glad it encouraged you today. Thanks for letting me know.
Wow. What a great message.
Thanks! :) Glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I love the hope you brought here Chance! Does my soul good to be reminded that there is in fact a Kingdom, unseen and real, that holds things I cannot comprehend nor see with all of my best insights, strategy, planning, and earthly wisdom.
We truly are living in the tension of the “already and not YET.”
Thanks so much, Josh. I agree. In so many ways, we are discovering what is already written. We truly are living in the tension of the “already and not YET…yes.
Never thought YET can be such an important word. I was talking to my friend the other day and I said I would like to quit my recent job to look for something bigger than what I have now and she wasn’t so sure I was making a right choice. She said I wouldn’t be able to find anything better than a job as a shop assistant. She started talking something about how teaching degree we both have is no good for anything but school. I don’t actually remember what else she said as I stopped listening to her after a while. I was just sitting there thinking her and I were from different worlds and her world was all about holding on to whatever job you’re doing as long as you got paid and following your dreams is out of question. I’m going to share this post with her because I didn’t like what I heard from her that time. For me this post is another proof I’m about to do the right thing. Doing something when you feel it’s not what you were meant to do is somewhat depressing.
What I have observed from your comments over the last year is that you are most definitely on a journey to the better part of your life and experience. Culturally, it’s tough. You’re surrounded by pessimists, understandably so. But once you are able to SEE that there’s more for you, you have also have the responsibility to FIND it and live it out. Don’t stop dreaming, Anna. It’s beautiful on you.
Thanks Chance…great little word. Worked for me. :)
:) Thanks, Craig. :)
So many of your posts hit me right where in struggling, and this one is no exception. Thank you!
I just love to sing!!! Growing up there always seemed to be someone better, so I was never strongly encouraged to go in to music performance–I went to college and became a music/voice teacher instead. As I’ve gotten older, and I’ve found some amazing and supportive voice teachers, I’ve been given hope that I may have something special and useful!
I still take voice lessons every week, despite being a voice teacher myself. I continue to grow and learn, and it’s a challenging process at times but I’m thankful for the chance.
Now I’m trying to figure out where my voice is meant to be used. I don’t fit at the contemporary church I attend (was told I’m too “technically correct”) and I love classical music and opera but don’t quite have the endurance yet.
Patience is hard, but I believe that God gave me the desire to sing for a reason. I wait hopeful to see the ways in which I can sing and serve!
Thanks for listening!
Jennifer
This put a spark in me in a place that I thought was stuck – stuck in “oh well, I guess this is as good as it going to get and I’m going to have to live with it”.
One little word, Yet, changes my entire outlook and brings Hope!
“…YET.” I love this! Thanks so much, Chance. I will be using this one—today!
I’ve heard another angle on the same idea:
“I don’t know what else I could do. …”
“IF you DID know, what would it be?” “IF you HAD to do something else what would it be?
“I don’t know. I can’t think of anything else I could do.”
“I know, but if you DID know, what would it be?”
“But …”
Then the broken-record technique comes in handy. Over and over, “I know, but if you did know …”
Eventually, the person (or yourself) comes up with some kind of answer and the floodgates of creativity open up.
Thanks for a great post, Chance!